Cong claims integrity of electoral process compromised; Kharge talks tough on poll debacle

New Delhi: The integrity of the entire electoral process was being "severely compromised" and the Congress would soon launch a nationwide movement against it, the party said on Friday, while its chief Mallikarjun Kharge asserted that "tough decisions" need to be taken to strengthen the party.

Top Congress leaders deliberated on the political situation in the country on Friday and discussed the reasons for the party's poor show in Maharashtra and Haryana polls, with several leaders alleging "irregularities" in the poll process.

A resolution adopted by the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the top decision-making body of the party, said free and fair elections, a Constitutional mandate, were being called into "serious question by the partisan functioning of the Election Commission".

"The CWC believes the integrity of the entire electoral process is being severely compromised. Free and fair elections is a Constitutional mandate that is being called into serious question by the partisan functioning of the Election Commission.

"Increasing sections of society are becoming frustrated and deeply apprehensive. The Congress will take these public concerns as a national movement," it stated.

Party chief Kharge said "tough decisions" would have to be taken and accountability fixed in the wake of the electoral reverses. Leaders would have to draw lessons from the poll outcome, he said.

He, however, said that he believes the EVMs have made the electoral process "suspect". The Congress chief also asked for how long would the party's state leaders depend on national issues and national leaders in assembly polls.

Rahul Gandhi urged Kharge to "crack the whip" in the wake of poor results for the party. He also said the Congress was an organisation of resistance and party leaders should have faith in it.

During the deliberations, some leaders criticised those who went against the party chief's stand against EVMs and said they should do so as it undermined the leadership and issues raised.

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram had spoken in favour of EVMs after Kharge raised doubts about EVMs and the poll process.

Party general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said there will be a movement and rallies on the concerns over the electoral process and INDIA boc parties would join it.

The CWC, which met amid the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament, said the session has been a washout so far because of the Narendra Modi government's "stubborn refusal" to have an immediate discussion on three pressing national issues -- "the recent revelations regarding corruption by a business group, and the violence in Manipur and Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal".

Asked why the resolution does not name the business group, Congress leader Ramesh said, "The answer is the Adani group".

Addressing a press conference along with Ramesh and Pawan Khera, party general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal said the CWC has decided to constitute internal committees to look into electoral performance and organisational matters.

He said that after Haryana, panel members would also visit Maharashtra to speak to leaders and workers there and assess the losses.

About the Maharashtra Assembly polls results, Venugopal said the electoral outcome in the state was "beyond normal understanding and it appears to be a clear case of targeted manipulation".

The CWC resolution alleged the prime minister has "abdicated" all responsibility and has not visited violence-hit Manipur since May 2023. It also claimed there were "systematic attempts of the BJP to foment communal tensions in different states, most recently in Uttar Pradesh".

The CWC reiterated its firmest commitment to the letter and spirit of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, which was being "violated brazenly by the BJP".

The Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act prohibits change of character of religious places as they existed as on August 15, 1947.

However, the Supreme Court had noted that it had earlier dealt with the Act in its 2019 Ayodhya verdict and one of the law's provisions, Section 3, did not expressly bar ascertaining the religious character of the place of worship.

Acknowledging that Congress' performance in Haryana has been contrary to all expectations, the CWC resolution said, "There have been electoral malpractices that have influenced the result in the state which have been overlooked."

The CWC "accepted" that the Congress' performance and that of its Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in Maharashtra Assembly polls have been "inexplicable" and "shocking".

"The electoral outcome is beyond normal understanding. It appears to be a clear case of targeted manipulation," it said.

In the election for the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly, the Congress registered one of its worst performances, winning only 16 seats. Its MVA allies Sharad Pawar's NCP(SP) and Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena(UBT) won just 10 and 20 seats, respectively.

The CWC expressed hope and confidence that Mallikarjun Kharge would complete the detailed state-wise reviews soon and take necessary action, particularly about organisational matters. It also called on the party organisations at all levels to summon the maximum strength and resilience at this juncture.

"There is no reason to get disheartened or to panic. We must persevere with renewed determination and resolve. Unity and discipline are called for now more than ever before," the CWC said.

"The party must keep reinforcing its narrative. This includes caste census to ensure full social justice, removal of the 50 per cent ceiling on reservations for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and OBCs, control of growing monopolies in the economy through political patronage and continuing price rise and growing unemployment," the CWC added.

Kharge hit out at bickerings within the Congress, asserting the lack of unity and statements against own leaders harms the party a lot.

"Unless we fight elections unitedly and stop making statements against each other, how will we be able to defeat our opponents politically?" he posed, adding the party would have to evolve a strategy to effectively counter its rivals' "propaganda and misinformation".

"It is important that we strictly follow discipline... The party also has the weapon of disciplining. But we do not want to put our workers in any bondage," Kharge said.

About the Maharashtra polls, he said, "After the results in favour of the MVA in the Lok Sabha just six months ago, the assembly poll result is beyond the understanding of even political pundits. No arithmetic can justify them."

The CWC also resolved to mark the 100th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi becoming the Congress president in Belgaum with an extended Working Committee meeting and a massive rally in the city in Karnataka in December.