After poll debacle, Rahul Gandhi comes down heavily on senior leaders

New Delhi, May 26: After the Congress's poor show in the Lok Sabha polls 2019, party chief Rahul Gandhi has lashed out at some senior leaders for putting the interests of their sons ahead of the party's interests, at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meet on Saturday.

The party's highest decision-making body met to review the reasons behind the poll debacle and discus as to why it's poll narrative failed to convince the people.

As per reports, Rahul blamed the senior leaders for pushing for tickets to their sons. in fact he took the names of Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, and Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath for insisting tickets for their sons, even when he was opposed to the idea. He also mentioned veteran leader P Chidamabaram in this contest.

Rahul's outburst came after Jyotiraditya Scindia pointed out that local leadership of the party needs to be strengthened. Snapping at this Gandhi said: "Shall be strengthen local leadership in states so that the CMs can pressurize the party for giving tickets to their sons?"

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot's son Vaibhav Gehlot contested the parliamentary polls from Jodhpur and was defeated, while Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath's son Nakul Nath and Chidambaram's son Karti Chidamabaram registered victory from Chhindwara and Sivaganga constituencies respectively.

Rahul also accused the party leaders of not taking forward the issues that he had raised in the campaign to build a strong narrative against Narendra Modi, according to Times of India.

Rahul specifically mentioned the Rafale deal and the slogan "chowkidar chor hai", asking for a show of hand by CWC members who had followed his suit.

Within the party, murmurs of dissent are cropping up over taking responsibility for the party's performance. Some its leaders have already sent in their resignations, including Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Raj Babbar and Odisha Congress president Niranjan Patnaik.

Congress leader H K Patil also resigned as the president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Campaign Committee on Friday.

On May 23, when the BJP surged back to power with a massive mandate, the Congress was left with just 52 seats in the 542-member Lok Sabha - up from the 44 seats it picked up in 2014 in its worst ever performance.