'Post defeat in MP's Jabera bypoll, Cong needs to introspect'

Bhopal, Jul 1: The failure of main Opposition Congress in Madhya Pradesh to save the Jabera assembly seat in the recent bypoll in state's Damoh district, has put a question mark over its plans to win the 2013 elections.

The time was ripe for both newly appointed Union Minister and the State Congress President, Kantilal Bhuria and Leader of Opposition, Ajay Singh to prove their mettle in the bypoll but ruling BJP foiled their plans this time.

The bypoll in Jabera was necessitated due to the death of sitting Congress MLA Ratnesh Solomon, whose daughter Dr Tanya Solomon was the candidate, but she failed to corner the sympathy votes while BJP fielded Dashrath Singh Lodhi, who won the polls by 11,738 votes.

"The defeat in Jabera was an eye-opener for the Congress and now it has to work more pro-actively to ensure that it will come back to power after 2013 assembly elections," said senior Congress leader and former Olympian, Aslam Sher Khan.

"It is not like that when the Olympic will come we will score a goal. The party has to do a frank assessment of each and every seat in the state and accordingly draw strategies, fix political responsibility and make that person accountable well in advance to regain power in Madhya Pradesh, which I am sure it is capable of doing," Aslam said.

However, he admitted it is always difficult to win any bypoll against the ruling party.

Also, they (BJP) contested the bypoll by channelising all its resources well in advance while Congress workers normally get energised only when the ticket is finalised. The party has a challenge in Madhya Pradesh and is capable of taking it with a united force, he said.

However, State Congress General Secretary, Syed Sajid Ali said, "ruling BJP won the bypoll by misusing power and with political high-handedness, the example of which was the attack on Amit Jogi (son of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi)."

PTI