The Congress Working Committee (CWC) today reaffirmed its faith in the leadership of Sonia Gandhi notwithstanding the party’s debacle in the assembly election in five states.

The CWC requested the Congress President to lead from the front, address the organisational weaknesses, effect necessary and comprehensive organisational changes in order to take on the political challenges.

The CWC has also decided hold a “Chintan Shivir” soon after the conclusion of the budget session of the Parliament.

The party analysed the reasons for its defeat in the recently held Assembly polls in five states– Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur.

The meeting of the CWC – the party’s highest decision-making body, which was held at the party headquarters in the national capital, lasted nearly five hours.

The outcomes of the meeting of the CWC were briefed by AICC general secretary K C Venugopal and Congress general secretary and chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala at a press conference held at the party headquarters.

Reading out the statement of the CWC, Venugopal said, “The recent Assembly election results of five states are a cause of serious concern for the Indian National Congress. The party accepts that due to short comings in our strategy, we could not effectively expose the misrule of BJP State Governments in four States and overcome the anti-incumbency in the State of Punjab in the short time after effecting a change of leadership.

Congress Party represents the hopes of millions of Indians against political authoritarianism prevailing in the country today and the party is fully conscious of its immense responsibility.”

The CWC expressed its gratitude to millions of Congress workers and leaders across the five states, who worked tirelessly for the party and its candidates, he said.

“While humbly accepting the electoral verdict of the latest round of Assembly elections, the Congress party assures its workers and the people of India that it will continue to remain a vigilant and vibrant opposition,” the AICC general secretary said.

The Congress Party will be fully prepared to face the electoral challenges in the election going states in 2022 and 2023 as well as in the Lok Sabha elections 2024, he said.

The meeting, chaired by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, was attended by the party’s top brass including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Other prominent party’s senior leaders who attended today’s meeting include Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, P Chidambaram, Ambika Soni, Mallikarjun Kharge, Digvijaya Singh, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.