After facing massive defeat in the Gujarat Assembly elections, the Congress' internal tussles are out in the open, with the younger lot pointing fingers at the seniors.
In a meeting summoned by Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee president Jagdish Thakor on Wednesday, the party's youth leaders expressed their anger over the defeat.
The meeting was called to plan out Gujarat Jodo Yatra, which the party plans to launch in February and cover all Assembly seats and talukas. However, the outbursts of some young leaders derailed the agenda, sources said.
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During the meeting, two former MLAs expressed their anger. Former MLA Nausad Solanki told IANS, "I only shared my anguish as I feel that as a party we failed strategically to counter the political opponents. I strongly believe that party leaders will not realize that we have failed, there will be no attempt to find the solution or cure."
According to him, the party failed on two fronts: "Strengthening frontal organisation and making maximum usage of these organisations. Now the first task before the party is to win the confidence and trust of the party workers, that can be done by handing over the leadership to young blood."
'Party state unit president and other senior leaders should take responsibility for the defeat and resign. This was demanded by former MLA Raghu Desai, said sources from the party.
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Sources said that in the meeting one leader alleged that election funds were not distributed equally by the state leadership with some candidates getting more in comparison to others.
The outbursts were received by applause from the younger leaders, said sources.
"The meeting agenda took another route. Former state president Arjun Modhwadia intervened and tried to calm the angry young leaders, He asked them to stick to the meeting agenda," sources said.
