The Congress party’s fact-finding committee held its fourth and final meeting on Monday to review the party’s poor performance in the recently concluded Chhattisgarh Assembly polls.

Amid these discussions, an anonymous letter targeting former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel went viral, accusing him of arrogance and holding him responsible for the defeat.

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The letter, addressed to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, also alleged that fear of corruption investigations led to a conspiracy to lose the elections. Leaders such as Mahant, Akbar, and Tamradhwaj were also criticized in the letter.

However, Chhattisgarh Congress spokesperson Sushil Anand Shukla dismissed the viral letter as a BJP conspiracy aimed at damaging the image of the Congress party. He also accused certain Congress workers of colluding with the BJP to frame false allegations and defame the party’s image.

“This is a ploy by the BJP to undermine the Congress. Some of our own members are working against us and spreading false accusations,” Shukla stated.

Over the past few days, the Congress has been intensely reviewing the disappointing Lok Sabha results in Chhattisgarh.

On Saturday, the fact-finding committee visited Bilaspur, where local leaders and workers expressed their grievances, attributing the defeat to factionalism, inactivity, and a lack of attention to grassroots workers.

The discussions covered the results from Bilaspur, Korba, Janjgir-Champa, Surguja, Raigarh, Bastar, and Kanker constituencies. Results for Raipur and Mahasamund were reviewed earlier.

Discussions at Rajiv Bhavan were focused on the defeat in the Durg Lok Sabha constituency, with office bearers expressing frustration over worker shortages during the campaign. Committee member Harish Chaudhary engaged in one-on-one discussions with leaders.

The meeting included PCC Chief Deepak Baij, Leader of Opposition Charan Das Mahant, former ministers Tamradhwaj Sahu, Ravindra Choubey, and candidate Rajendra Sahu.

On Sunday, during the review of the Bastar Lok Sabha seat, workers expressed anger towards former minister Kawasi Lakhma, accusing him of neglecting them while serving as the in-charge minister in the Congress government.

In Kanker constituency, where the Congress narrowly lost, leaders complained about local officials not supporting the candidate, mirroring the previous election’s outcome, where the candidate’s solo campaigning efforts were insufficient.

The committee’s reviews across constituencies consistently highlighted factionalism, internal sabotage, and unresolved worker grievances. The initial meeting at Rajiv Bhavan with senior leaders also revealed multiple weaknesses and poor decisions by the party leadership during the elections.

After the committee concludes its reviews of all 11 constituencies, it will submit a comprehensive report to the Congress high command.

Senior Congress leader Veerappa Moily stated that President Mallikarjun Kharge has established committees for states with poor performance, with seven committees operating nationwide. These committees aim to identify the reasons for electoral defeats and rectify shortcomings.

The report from Chhattisgarh’s meetings will be submitted to the AICC, with the high command making final decisions.

State Congress President Deepak Baij acknowledged that there were shortcomings despite overall coordination between the government and the organization.

He noted that senior leaders had provided suggestions for strengthening the organization and emphasized the need for cohesive efforts moving forward. Baij expressed confidence in contesting the upcoming municipal and panchayat elections with renewed vigor.

Deepak Baij reiterated the need for introspection and correction within the Chhattisgarh Congress, emphasizing the goal to resolve issues before upcoming municipal and panchayat elections and work more effectively.