Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday brainstormed with senior leaders of the party's Gujarat unit about preparations for the 2027 assembly elections and strengthening the organization. This meeting was held at '10 Janpath'. During this, Congress Organization General Secretary KC Venugopal, Party General Secretary and Gujarat in-charge Mukul Wasnik, former State Congress Committee President Shaktisinh Gohil, senior leaders Bharat Singh Solanki, Jagdish Thakor, Amit Chavda and many other leaders were present.
This meeting took place a few days after the Congress's defeat in the recent by-elections to two assembly seats in Gujarat and then Gohil's resignation from the post of president. Sources say that in the meeting, emphasis was laid on preparations for the next assembly elections and strengthening the organization. Congress sources say that keeping in mind the political and social equations, the party will announce the new president in the coming days.
Taking moral responsibility after the defeat of Congress in the by-elections held on Kadi and Visavadar seats of Gujarat Assembly, party's state president Gohil resigned from his post on June 23. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Gopal Italia won the Visavadar seat, while the Kadi seat went to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), from where its candidate Rajendra Chavda was declared victorious. Voting for these two seats of the state assembly was held on June 19 (Thursday) and the results were declared on June 23 (Monday).
Cong forced to introspect
Congress, which was once a strong political force in Gujarat, performed disappointingly in both the assembly constituencies and came third in one of them. These results are also disappointing for the Congress in the sense that it started making its district presidents more powerful from Gujarat. It has appointed 41 district and city presidents in Gujarat under the Sangathan Srujan Abhiyan. The Congress party has started to strengthen the organization, but the results of the by-elections have once again forced the Congress to introspect.
AAP can make a dent in the vote bank of Congress
Although there was a by-election on 2 seats in Gujarat, but this election was being seen as a semi-final before the upcoming assembly elections. Congress party performed poorly in this election semi-final. Here, AAP's victory is a matter of concern for the party more than Congress's defeat. In the upcoming elections, Aam Aadmi Party can make a dent in the vote bank of Congress. Its indications have been found in the by-elections. At the same time, there is no scope for an alliance between AAP and Congress after the Delhi elections.
Prakash Kumar Pandey