5-member Cong panel submits report to Sonia on poll losses

A five-member Congress panel on Tuesday submitted its assessment on the party's losses in the just-concluded assembly elections to party chief Sonia Gandhi, and put forward several recommendations and suggestions to strengthen the organisation.

Former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan who heads the group said he had submitted the report on the party's performance in Kerala, Assam and Puducherry and that the assessment for West Bengal was underway.

"We have submitted our report on poll losses in Assam, Puducherry and Kerala and have given our suggestions and recommendations," Chavan said.

He added that the report on West Bengal is being prepared and discussions with party leaders are still going on.

Besides Chavan, the group has Salman Khurshid, Manish Tewari, Vincent H Pala and Jothi Mani.

The Congress had set up the five-member group to evaluate the party's performance in assembly polls in Kerala, Assam, West Bengal and Puducherry.

Sonia Gandhi had said at the Congress Working Committee meeting last month that the group would look at every aspect of recent electoral reverses and come back with its findings.

"These will yield uncomfortable lessons, but if we do not face up to the reality, if we do not look the facts in the face, we will not draw the right lessons,” she had said.

The Congress failed to win a single seat in West Bengal, while its performances in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry were below par as it failed to capture power in these states.

The Left Democratic Front and the Bharatiya Janata Party retained power in Kerala and Assam respectively.