A subdued Congress celebrated its 130th Foundation Day, in the backdrop of the series of electoral losses in the States and its lowest ever tally in the Lok Sabha, on Sunday.
While Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who had been hospitalised earlier this month, unfurled the party flag at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi, vice-president Rahul Gandhi was conspicuous by his absence.
On the Congress’s possible role in government formation in Jammu and Kashmir, Ms. Gandhi said: “We have not got the people’s mandate. Others we will have to form the government.” Former J&K Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, however, said the party offered its support to the PDP and it was now for the regional party to take a decision. He downplayed the absence of Mr. Gandhi and some other leaders saying the party’s top most leader was present. The former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and party treasurer Motilal Vora were present.
The Congress’s Lok Sabha tally fell from 206 in 2009 to 44 in the 2014 elections, with the party hitting a new low.
The Assembly elections that have followed since the May 16 Lok Sabha results have also seen the party’s numbers diminish in State Assemblies. “Victory or loss in one election is nothing if it is compared to what Congress leaders have done in the past for the country. We have seen many ups and downs,” Mr. Azad said.
At a recent interaction of the party’s general secretaries with Mr. Gandhi, several leaders pointed out that the party needs to establish its connect with the masses, another Congress leader revealed.