Sonia Gandhi appoints five leaders to assess post-poll situation

New Delhi, March 16:  Six days after the Congress' near washout in five Assembly elections, Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday appointed five senior leaders to assess the post-poll situation in these states.

The leaders would suggest organisational changes after interacting from MLA candidates and important leaders.

Rajya Sabha MP Rajani Patil will oversee Goa, Jairam Ramesh Manipur, Ajay Maken Punjab, Jitender Singh Uttar Pradesh and Avinash Pandey Uttarakhand.

The development comes just one day after the state unit chiefs of these states were asked to tender resignation by the Congress president.

The step came even as the Congress dissenters, called the 'G23 group', are meeting at senior party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad's residence to chalk out their strategy after the humiliating defeat of the party.

Sonia Gandhi in the meeting of the Congress Working Committee - the party's highest decision-making body -- on Sunday offered to step back from the leadership along with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, but her offer was rejected by the CWC members.