NEW DELHI: The Congress Working Committee on Saturday "unanimously" rejected Rahul Gandhi 's resignation offer and requested him to continue to guide the party in these "challenging times".

The CWC held its meeting in the national capital today to deliberate upon the Congress's poor showing in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The Congress managed to win just 52 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha, only a marginal improvement from its 2014 tally, when it had won 44 seats. In 18 states and Union Territories, the party could not even open its account.

"Congress president Rahul Gandhi in his address to the CWC offered his resignation as the party president. The CWC unanimously and with one voice rejected the same and requested the Congress President for his leadership and guidance in these challenging times," said the resolution passed by CWC.

"The CWC has requested Rahul to lead and guide the party in this challenging time. It also called upon Rahul to lead the party in its ideological battle and champion the cause of India's youth, the farmers, the SC, ST, OBCs, the minorities, the poor and the deprived sections," the Congress told reporters after the conclusion of the CWC meet .

The Congress said its highest decision-making body has authorized Rahul to completely overhaul the party, adding that a restructuring plan will be rolled out soon. Addressing reporters after the meeting, senior leader Veerappa Moily admitted that the Congress did not meet the expectations, but refused to call the party's performance "disastrous".

The CWC meeting, chaired by Congress president Rahul Gandhi, was attended by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Uttar Pradesh (East) in-charge Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and chief ministers of four party-ruled states - Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh - and of the Union Territory Puducherry.

Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Raj Babbar and Odisha Congress president Niranjan Patnaik have announced their resignations from the post.

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In Video: CWC unanimously rejects Rahul Gandhi’s resignation offer