Rahul Gandhi owns up responsibility

New Delhi: Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, who led the Congress election campaign from the front, on Friday, came forward to accept full responsibility for the party’s electoral debacle. Rahul Gandhi said the Congress had lost and has no mandate. Whishing the Government the very best, Rahul Gandhi said, “The Congress has done pretty badly and there is a lot for us to think about. As Congress Vice-President, I hold myself responsible.” Stumping his detractors, who through the day dared him to show up in front of the media and to concede defeat, Rahul Gandhi appeared before media, along with Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who, too, accepted the responsibility for the defeat.

Sonia said, “The Congress had gone to polls on the plank of its achievements, policies and programmes. We did not receive the kind of support we had hoped for. Victory or defeat is part of democracy. This mandate was against the Congress. We accept the verdict of the people with humility. I congratulate the new Government. We do hope that the new Government that will be formed will not compromise with the unity of the country.” She went on to state, “As Congress President, I take the responsibility for the defeat.”

Undeterred by the crushing defeat, Sonia Gandhi held out a message that the Congress will continue to fight for its policies and programmes and will never compromise on it. The Congress had entered the electoral arena by declaring that the battle is for the mind and heart of India and that it is a clash between two conflicting visions of the future of the country. The Congress fears that with the contentious issues on the BJP Election Manifesto and the party winning absolute majority on its own, it may tinker with the secular fabric of the Constitution. Sonia hinted that the Congress will not hesitate to confront saffron brigrade in such an eventuality.