Sonia Gandhi meets Congress general secretaries to discuss poll results

Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday held a meeting of party general secretaries and office bearers to discuss the outcome of the Assembly elections in five states, including Uttar Pradesh, and the reasons behind it.

AICC chairperson met party general secretaries and office-bearers at the All Indian Congress Committee headquarters and discussed the poll results with general secretaries in-charge of the five states.

General secretary Rahul Gandhi, who had campaigned extensively for the party in Uttar Pradesh, kept away from the meeting.

Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh, in-charge of UP; Chaudhary Birendra Singh, in-charge of Uttarakhand; Gulchain Singh Charak, in-charge of Punjab; Jagmeet Singh Brar, in-charge of Goa; and Luizinho Faleiro, in-charge of Manipur, were present in the meeting with Gandhi.
The Congress was hopeful of wresting Punjab from the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP but put up a dismal performance. In Uttar Pradesh also the party could improve its tally by only six seats from 22 in 2007 to 28 this time.

The Congress had virtually made UP a prestige issue and Rahul Gandhi and Digvijay Singh had made all efforts to improve the tally. Samajwadi Party has, however, swept the polls with an unprecedented 224 seats in its kitty.

Rahul Gandhi had yesterday accepted responsibility for the party's dismal performance in UP.