NEW DELHI: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday said that while the results of the Assembly elections proved the "prophets of doom" predicting a Congress defeat in Assam wrong, she was disappointed with the showing in West Bengal and Kerala.

Addressing the media hours after the results, including her re-election from Rae Bareli, were announced, she said the Congress was in a position to form the Government in Assam while in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, the Democratic Progressive Alliance would assume power.

Party general secretary Digvijay Singh has already reached Guwahati to oversee the efforts since the Congress emerged the single largest party.

Senior leader Mohsina Kidwai was appointed the central observer for the Congress legislature party meeting on Saturday.

In Pondicherry, Congress general secretary B.K. Hari Prasad, along with central observer Motilal Vora, would reach the Union Territory on Friday evening, a day ahead of the formal meeting of the newly elected legislators.

Pre-poll understanding

Party sources said that as per the pre-poll understanding, the Congress would extend support to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam from outside and the DMK would reciprocate it in Pondicherry.

As an immediate fall-out of the West Bengal results, State party president Pranab Mukherjee sent in his resignation, taking responsibility for the "poor performance." Party sources said now that the elections were over, a new president would be in place in due course.

Rejects MPs' move

Ms. Gandhi also quelled a move by a few party MPs suggesting that she take over as Prime Minister after her impressive re-election from Rae Bareli.

She disapproved of the move initiated by the former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister, Ajit Jogi, and others and said it was wrong for the party to make such a suggestion.

They further mooted the idea that Rahul Gandhi, who showed his organisational capabilities by managing the election campaign at Rae Bareli, should be made party chief.

Ms. Gandhi dismissed this suggestion also.

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