Congress leaders want radical changes in the party after poll loss

New Delhi: After the party's worst ever debacle in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, split within the Congress seems to be out in the open. Congress leaders across the country are demanding radical changes in the party. Party workers have slammed several top central leaders for being arrogant and inaccessible.

According to sources in the Delhi Congress, leaders feel that corruption charges against ex-Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit led to poll loss. Not just in Delhi, there are murmurs of disapproval in Maharashtra too. Sources in the Mahasrahtra Congress Committee have revealed that several state leaders were extremely critical of CM Prithviraj Chavan's leadership.

Congress leader Mahabal Mishra who lost his Lok Sabha seat in Delhi said one of the reasons for the Congress's defeat was that the former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit could not send the right message. "Even if you talk about electricity, our senior leaders including Sheila Dikshit could not send out the right message. The CM had become egoistic. Also comments about Rs 5 or Rs 12 thalis were also harmful," he said.

Congress leaders in Madhya Pradesh complained of infighting while in Bihar, the blame has been directed towards a delay in forming a poll alliance with the RJD. Andhra Pradesh leaders were furious over the hasty bifurcation of the state which they believed was responsible for the party's debacle.

Senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar, too, expressed displeasure over the delay in the announcement of the candidates for the Lok Sabha and Assembly Elections. "Even if you talk about electricity, our senior leaders including Sheila Dikshit could not send out the right message. The CM had become egoistic. Also comments about Rs 5 or Rs 12 thalis were also harmful," he said.

"Candidates for the Lok Sabha elections should have been announced six months in advance and candidates for Assembly Elections should have been announced three months in advance unlike Chennai south where the candidate was announced two hours before the nomination," Aiyar added.