The Hindu : Front Page : Price rise a factor behind defeats: Sonia

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 07, 2007
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Price rise a factor behind defeats: Sonia

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Congress president Sonia Gandhi said on Tuesday that while price rise was a factor in the party failing to retain power in Punjab and Uttarakhand, correct conclusions should be drawn from the results.

In her first reaction to the reverses suffered in the February Assembly polls, Ms. Gandhi told the general body meeting of the Congress Party in Parliament that honest introspection was necessary to analyse the causes behind the electoral defeat.

"We must be candid with ourselves and look inwards to examine why so many sitting MLAs and Ministers, for example, failed to retain their seats. What were our shortcomings? Did we put up the best possible candidates and effort? Did our party fail to work unitedly? Were we mindful enough of the sensitivities and expectations of different sections of people? These questions need to be answered, and the answers analysed."

"Voters impatient"

While doing so, the party must note that a "deep-rooted change" was occurring in the minds and attitudes of the voters. They were impatient in wanting to improve their lives, and in seeking good and clean governance, employment, prosperity, security and social justice.

On the April-May Uttar Pradesh elections, she said though the party's performance in the recent municipal elections gave it confidence, the coming polls would pose a "difficult challenge."

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