Internal rift and chasm among leaders is the reason for the Congress' humiliating defeat in Lok Sabha polls in Rajasthan, said party candidates who contested Lok Sabha 2019, during an internal review meeting here on Monday.
As many as 11 Lok Sabha candidates from Rajasthan participated in the meeting convened by General Secretary Incharge Avinash Pandey in which Rajasthan Chief Minister's Ashok Gehlot son Vaibhav Gehlot was also present.
After its poll debacle, the Congress is pondering over the reasons for its rout and has asked general secretary in-charges and state in-charges to prepare a report regarding same.
The candidates told that MLA's and ministers acted against the party and didn't put all their weight behind so as to make them win, said sources.
While Vaibhav Gehlot defended his father and said that he could not give enough time to his constituency. Ashok Gehlot had already blamed Sachin Pilot, Rajasthan unit Congress chief, for the defeat of his son from Jodhpur parliamentary seat in the Lok Sabha polls.
Gehlot lost to Gajendra Singh Shekhawat by over 3 lakh votes in Jodhpur. The Congress lost all 25 parliamentary seats in Rajasthan within six months of forming the government in the state. The BJP swept 24 seats while a seat went to its ally Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP).
( With inputs from ANI )