NEW DELHI: Amid the rising cases of the coronavirus, the Congress Working Committee on Monday decided to postpone the election for a new party president, sources said.
“Election for Congress president has been further postponed. Due to the COVID-19 situation, it has been decided in the CWC meeting to postpone it as it won't be correct to hold elections in this scenario,’’ news agency ANI cited party sources as saying.
Elections for Congress President further postponed. Due to #COVID19 situation, it has been decided in CWC meet to postpone it as it won't be correct to hold elections in this scenario. In last CWC meet, Central Election Authority had proposed 23rd June as the poll date: Sources pic.twitter.com/Rj42TXykCr
— ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2021
During the last CWC meet, Central Election Authority had proposed 23rd June as the date for electing the new Congress chief. However, the next schedule will be decided by the party's Central Election Authority, the sources added.
Earlier, while addressing the CWC meeting, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said the party has to take note of its serious setbacks in assembly polls in several states and face the reality to draw the right lessons.
The UPA chairperson said she intends to set up a small group to look at every aspect that caused such reverses.
"We have to take note of our serious setbacks. To say that we are deeply disappointed is to make an understatement. I intend to set up a small group to look at every aspect that caused such reverses and report back very quickly," she told the meeting in her inaugural address.
Gandhi said the party needs to candidly understand "why in Kerala and Assam we failed to dislodge the incumbent governments, and why in West Bengal we drew a complete blank".
"These will yield uncomfortable lessons, but if we do not face up to the reality, if we do not look the facts in the face, we will not draw the right lessons," she noted.
The meeting of the top Congress body has been convened to deliberate and introspect on the party's poor performance in the just-concluded assembly elections.
The Congress fared poorly, drawing a blank in West Bengal and failing to win back power in Kerala and Assam, besides losing Puducherry. The party only came to power with the help of its ally DMK in Tamil Nadu.
She also hit out at the Narendra Modi government over the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
