Congress Working Committee meet on Sunday to discuss poll debacle in 5 states

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New Delhi: After being decimated in the five states that went to polls recently, the meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the highest decision-making body of the party, will be held on Sunday (March 13) at 4 PM at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) office in Delhi, ANI reported. 

Congress president Sonia Gandhi will chair the CWC meeting. Congress was trounced in four states of Uttar Pradesh, Manipur, Goa and Uttarakhand and lost Punjab to Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP. 

Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting to be held tomorrow at 4PM at AICC office in Delhi, to discuss poll debacle in 5 states and current political situation pic.twitter.com/wWg3rRwu4f — ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2022

Earlier on Friday, senior leaders of the Congress party who are part of Group 23, who had questioned the party leadership and sought organisational overhaul, met at Ghulam Nabi Azad`s residence and discussed the successive defeats of the party in Assembly and Parliamentary elections. As per PTI sources, the leaders discussed the future and revival of the Congress, which has become even "more marginalised and isolated". Besides Azad, former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, party MPs Anand Sharma, Kapil Sibal, Manish Tewari and Akhilesh Prasad Singh were present in the meeting. 

Meanwhile, Sonia Gandhi will hold a meeting of the Congress' parliamentary strategy group at her residence on Sunday morning to discuss plans for the remainder of the budget session.
The second part of the budget session is starting on Monday after a recess.

A look at Congress' election debacle in 5 states

Punjab 

Congress faced a humiliating defeat in the 117-member Punjab Assembly, losing the state to AAP. Congress’ heavyweights Charanjit Singh Channi and Navjot Singh Sidhu lost their seats. Congress was reduced to 18 seats with a 22.98% vote share while AAP scripted a landmark victory winning 92 constituencies and 42.01% vote share. 

Uttar Pradesh

Congress managed to win mere 2 seats in UP and secured 2.33% vote share. 

Goa

Congress, which had emerged as the largest party in 2017, bagged 11 seats with 23.46% vote share in Goa in 2022. 

Uttarakhand

Congress failed to upend BJP in Uttarakhand, securing 19 seats and 37.91% vote share. 

Manipur

Congress won 5 seats and 16.83% vote share in the northeast state. 

(With agency inputs)