Sonia Gandhi said an "introspection meet" meet was necessary
Congress President Sonia Gandhi today stressed on "unity at all levels" and resilience as she spoke at a weekly meeting of party MPs about what she called the party's "shocking and painful" election defeats.
Appearing to send out a message to the "G-23" or group of 23 dissenters who have been calling for drastic steps to revive the Congress, Sonia Gandhi said she had received many suggestions on how to strengthen the party and she was working on "many of them".
"I am very well aware how disappointed you are at the recent election results. They have been both shocking and painful," Mrs Gandhi said at the Congress Parliamentary Party meet.
"Our dedication and determination, our spirit of resilience is under severe test. Unity at all levels of our vast organisation is of paramount importance and speaking for myself, I am determined to do whatever is needed to ensure it."
She referred to the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting soon after the results of five state elections last month. After an all-round disaster, in which the Congress lost Punjab to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and failed to make a comeback in three states, the meeting held amid calls for a leadership change saw Mrs Gandhi offering to resign, along with her children Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi.
Though the resignation offer was shot down by the CWC, the "G-23" and those supporting it continue to press for big changes.
"The CWC has met once to review our performance. I have met with other colleagues too. I have received many suggestions on how to strengthen our organization. Many are pertinent and I am working on them," Mrs Gandhi said today.
She said a Shivir - organising a "Chintan Shivir" or introspection meet was among the decisions taken at the CWC - was "also very necessary".
"That is where the views of a larger number of colleagues and party representatives will be heard. They will contribute to put forward a clear roadmap on the urgent steps to be taken by our party on how best to meet the challenges we are confronted with," she said.
Calling the road ahead "more challenging than ever before", the Congress president said: "Our revival is not just a matter of importance to us alone - it is, in fact, essential for our democracy itself and indeed for our society as well."
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi were also present at the meeting.