CWC to discuss poll debacle today

New Delhi: Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, general secretary Priyanka Gandhi and senior leader Rahul Gandhi will be offering their resignation at a meeting of the Congress Working Committee on Sunday, according to sources.

The sources said the three leaders were willing to take responsibility for the party's poll debacle in the recently concluded Assembly elections in five states — Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Uttarakhand and Manipur. The CWC will take responsibility for the party's loss and dates for fresh elections could be announced soon. Sonia Gandhi will be chairing the CWC meeting, which will be held in the AICC office at 4 pm.

Before that, she will also chair a meeting of the party's parliamentary strategy group on 10 Janpath at 10.30 am. The top decision-making body has decided to meet after the grand old party received a drubbing in the assembly elections, losing Punjab to the AAP, while registering a miniscule presence in the other four States.

It bagged only 2 out of 403 seats in Uttara Pradesh, 18 of 117 in Punjab, 18 of 70 in Uttarakhand, 12 of 40 in Goa, and six of 60 seats in Manipur.

On March 10, the election result day, Rahul Gandhi tweeted, "Humbly accept the people's verdict. Best wishes to those who have won the mandate. My gratitude to all Congress workers and volunteers for their hard work and dedication. We will learn from this and keep working for the interests of the people of India."

The same day Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also tweeted, "The vote of the people is paramount in a democracy. Our workers and leaders worked hard, formed the organization, fought on the issues of the people. But, we were not able to convert our hard work into votes. The Congress party is following a positive agenda for the betterment of UP and the public…" "…Will continue to fulfil the duty of a struggling opposition with full responsibility," she added.