U.P. Cong. chief seeks to insulate party general secretary from poor poll showing

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who was made in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, did her job but the party and its workers could not rise to the occasion, the party’s State unit chief Raj Babbar said on Monday.

Disappointed with the results that gave the Congress just one seat out of 80 in the State and a nationwide tally of 52, Mr. Babbar said the poor showing at the hustings had pained party president Rahul Gandhi.

Mr. Gandhi lost from his family bastion Amethi, which voted in BJP’s Smriti Irani to the Lok Sabha this time, but won from Wayanad in Kerala. “He never viewed it (Amethi) as his constituency. Now, family members have given such a verdict,” the U.P. Congress chief said, expressing concern that a person who considered Amethi as his family and gave an identity to the place was not allowed to emerge victorious in the polls.

On why Ms. Vadra did not have the desired impact, the actor-turned-politician said party workers and local leaders failed to rise to the occasion.

“She did her job. But party workers, local leaders, candidates and the organisation could not accumulate the (electoral) benefits from it. Rahul ji worked so hard and Priyanka ji worked with such a high degree of enthusiasm,” Mr. Babbar said in his first interview after the election results. “We [party workers, local leaders and candidates] were unable to prove ourselves and rise to the occasion.”

Asked about the future course of action, the 66-year-old Congress leader said Uttar Pradesh cannot be analysed in a single line.

“You have to take steps after a lot of deliberations and strengthen the organisation,” he said.

The lone victory for the party came from Rae Bareli, where UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi retained her seat. The BJP won 62 seats in the State, the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party combine 15 and the Apna Dal two.

‘Must accept defeat’

Refusing to give any one particular factor behind the party’s poll drubbing, Mr. Babbar said, “First, we must accept our defeat and acknowledge the victory of the winner. Having said so, I cannot sit alone and deliberate upon the possible reasons for the defeat. Everyone has to sit together.”

Mr. Babbar himself lost the election from the Fatehpur Sikri Lok Sabha seat despite opting for it, after being initially named as party candidate from Moradabad.