New Delhi, Dec 20: Congress today began a day-long
exercise to analyse threadbare the party's debacle in the
recent assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and
Chhattisgarh with leaders of these states appearing before a
high-powered committee to present their views.
The committee was set up by Congress president Sonia
Gandhi, shortly after the party's rout, to go into the causes
of the defeat and submit a report recommending suitable action
to prepare the party for future polls.
The six-member committee, headed by senior party leader
Pranab Mukherjee, included Priyaranjan Dasmunsi, Manishankar
Iyer, B K Handique and Prithviraj Chauhan.
Besides AICC general secretaries, the in charge of
respective states, leaders of the Congress Legislature Parties
and Pradesh Congress presidents have also been directed by the
party leadership to appear before the committee and express
their views on the party's reverses.
Congress has already reviewed the assembly poll results
in Delhi and Mizoram.
The committee first took up Rajasthan and several leaders
including former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, Ambika Soni, K
Natwar Singh, R K Malviya, Girija Vyas, R N Mirdha, Balram
Jhakhar and S C Mathur gave their views.
Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh will be taken up later in
the day.
Former Chhattisgarh chief minister Ajit Jogi, who has been
suspended, has not been asked to appear before the committee.
But Pranab Mukherjee has taken his views on phone, party
sources said.
Bureau Report
