CWC meet: Kharge calls for unity, harsh decisions to win polls

New Delhi, Nov 29: Giving a clarion call to remain united, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday addressed the Congress Working Committee and hinted at “harsh decisions” in view of “unexpected” results and setbacks in Maharashtra and Haryana Assembly elections.

Calling the Assembly poll results a message for the party, Kharge said, “We need to immediately learn from the election results and correct all our weaknesses and shortcomings at the organisational level.”

On the recently concluded Maharashtra elections, he said the results defied all calculations particularly when the MVA had done exceptionally well in the parliamentary elections just six months ago.

Assuring that there was no need to feel desperate or dejected, he said, there was a need for complete change from the grassroots level to block, district and AICC levels.

“We will have to bring in changes according to the changing times,” he said, while asserting, “We have successfully faced the challenges in the past and we will face these challenges in future also and move ahead.”

Beginning his address with a congratulatory message, the Congress president said, “I congratulate Priyanka Gandhi ji for winning the Lok Sabha elections from Wayanad.”

Kharge also referred to questions being raised about whether the Election Commission of India was performing its constitutional duty.

He warned that the Congress cannot let the fascist forces deepen and strengthen their roots and that is why it is important and necessary for the party to win elections and defeat these forces.

“We have to defeat the divisive forces ruling the country at all costs and restore peace, progress, brotherhood and harmony,” he said.

Expressing concern over the party’s future in the backdrop of setbacks in Assembly elections, Kharge said, “After the 2024 Lok Sabha election results, the Congress made a comeback with renewed vigour. But the election results of three states that happened after that were not as per our expectations. INDIA bloc parties formed governments in two out of four states. But our performance was below expectation. This is a challenge for us in terms of the future.”

Underscoring the need for unity, the Congress president said, “The most important thing that I keep saying is that lack of unity and statements against each other harm us a lot. Unless we fight elections unitedly and stop making statements against each other, our unity will be ruined.”

Therefore, we have to remain united under all circumstances, he said, adding, “Our strength lies in the strength of the party.”

The Congress president accused the BJP government of trying to divert the attention of people from its repeated failures. Referring to violence in Manipur and UP’s Sambhal, he said there were so many sensitive and serious issues being faced by the country.

Kharge said that during the last 11 years of the BJP rule at the Centre, a huge section of “have-nots” has come up in the country which has been hit by massive unemployment, inflation and grave economic disparities.

“We have to become their voice,” he noted, adding, “It is also important for the Congress to form the government so that the agenda for the progress of the country and the deprived people is pursued and implemented.”

Referring to the questions being raised about the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), he said that he agreed that these had made the election process doubtful.

Kharge said while it was the constitutional obligation of the Election Commission to ensure free and fair elections, questions were repeatedly being raised as to what extent the ECI was fulfilling its constitutional responsibilities.