Congress panel to go into Karnataka defeat

In her introductory address, Sonia expressed “concern” about the series of electoral losses and invited “frank suggestions” from the members.

Sources said some CWC members, including AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi and former Chhattisgarh chief minister Ajit Jogi, said the party should not be defensive on inflation because the UPA Government was not responsible for it. However, Arjun said inflation could not be wished away and it required serious consideration.

Rahul also came up to the help of AICC general secretary Prithviraj Chavan when the Congress president asked the latter about the success rate of sitting Congress MLAs in Karnataka elections.

Attacking the BJP, a CWC resolution said, “While it is true that the BJP has won elections in some states, the Congress believes its emergence is detrimental to the very fabric of our society and to the nature of our secular, nationalist ethos. There is a difference between the BJP’s vision of India and the Congress vision of India. Our vision unites, the BJP’s divides.”

Chavan, Digvijay Singh and CWC members from Karnataka attributed poll defeat to infighting, mistakes in ticket distribution and the role of money and muscle power.

There were some tense moments as G Venkataswamy intervened several times seeking a decision on Telangana statehood “just now”. He was persuaded by other leaders to maintain calm.

Condoling the death of people in police firing during Gurjjar agitation in Rajasthan, the CWC took a dig at the state Government saying, “The CWC believes this agitation could have been tackled sensibly.” It also made a veiled attack on the BJP in the context of serial bomb blasts in Jaipur. “There are political forces who are intent on polarising our society every time there is a terrorist attack,” said the CWC.