There is no democracy in West Bengal, said Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Sunday alleging that the party's elected representative was shot dead by "goons" of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC).
"There is no democracy in West Bengal. Our elected representative Tapan Kandu was shot dead by TMC goons this evening to stop Congress from making councillor in Jhalda Municipality of Purulia district," the Congress Lok Sabha MP from Berhampore told ANI.
Speaking about the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting on Sunday, quoting the party's interim president Sonia Gandhi, Chowdhury said that Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are ready to sacrifice their posts for the party, but the party leaders all rejected this.
"Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi said that she along with her family members Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are ready to sacrifice their posts for the party, but we all rejected this," he said.
In the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting on Sunday, the party detailed discussions of the Assembly elections in five states - Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa - and deliberated on the preparations for the forthcoming elections, said AICC Goa in-charge, Dinesh Gundu Rao.
Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Rao said, "She (Sonia Gandhi) continues to be the president of the party. Detailed discussion held about the five states elections. We discussed how to take things forward and how we prepare for the forthcoming elections."
Of the five states that went into polls this year, Congress held power only in Punjab but faced a humiliating defeat by Aam Aadmi Party. In the four other states as well, Congress could was defeated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Congress' role as an Opposition was also discussed, Rao said.
Noting that the discussions in the meeting were "frank" and open", Rao expressed confidence in seeing positive outcomes.
"A lot of processes will be put in place in the near future," he said.
"There is no dispute in the fact that there are certain things that we have not been able to do properly. We have to correct those things. Work together and bring about greater unity within the party. Get all the leaders more involved. That process will take place," Rao said.
He assured that issues regarding organizational changes and set up will be looked into.
"We have to gear up ourselves for the challenges. There are a lot of positive outcomes from this meeting because a lot of things were discussed in an open, free and frank manner," Rao said.
A meeting of the CWC concluded, which was called to discuss the party's crushing defeat in Assembly elections in five states. The meeting was being held at the party's 24, Akbar Road office in the national capital.
The results of five assembly polls came as a shock to Congress which was hoping to do well to revive its prospects for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and to fend off the emerging challenge from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Trinamool Congress to replace it as the fulcrum of anti-BJP politics in the country.
( With inputs from ANI )
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