Updated: November 16, 2020 7:30:55 am
Kapil Sibal said the reluctance to address the issues stems from the fact that the CWC (the party’s highest policy-making body) was “an appointed body.” (File photo)
One of the 23 top congressional leaders who wrote the unprecedented letter to Sonia Gandhi demanding radical changes in the party, Kapil Sibal, spoke again on Sunday in the wake of the poor performance of Congress in the recent elections and voting of the Assembly of Bihar, saying that people no longer saw the party as an “effective alternative”, and that the leadership was not addressing the problems facing the party.
Congress knows the problems besetting it and the answers, but is unwilling to acknowledge them, preventing a solution from being found, Sibal told The Indian Express. “Some of us put our pen to paper and said what should be done in Congress on the road ahead. Instead of listening to us, they turned their backs on us. The results are visible to all … The people of the country, not only in Bihar but wherever by-elections have been held, obviously do not consider Congress to be an effective alternative.
The time for “introspection” was over, Sibal said. “A colleague of mine who is part of the CWC (Congressional Working Committee) said the other day that ‘I hope Congress does an introspection.’ If Congress hasn’t been introspection for six years, what hope do we have now for introspection? We know what happens to Congress.
Organizationally, we know what is wrong. We have all the answers. Congress itself knows all the answers. But they are not willing to acknowledge those responses … then the graph will continue to decline … Congress must be brave and willing to acknowledge them. “
Sibal said the reluctance to address the issues stems from the CWC (the party’s highest policy-making body) being “a designated body.” “Democratic processes must be adopted and adopted, including in the constitution of the CWC, which is reflected in the provisions of the constitution of Congress. Nominees are not expected to start questioning, ”he said.
Sibal noted that Congress had lost “all (eight) by-elections in Gujarat”, with three of its candidates losing their deposits, while “in some of the (seven) electoral districts in Uttar Pradesh the candidates for Congress won less than 2 % of votes cast. ”Even in Madhya Pradesh, where Congress held power until recently, the party had underperformed in by-elections for 28 seats, he said.
When asked if congressional leaders were taking it as usual, Sibal said, “I don’t know. I’m only talking about myself. I have not heard the leaders say anything to me … I only hear voices surrounding the leaders … We have not yet heard from the Congress party their views on our recent performance in Bihar and the by-elections. Maybe they think that everything is fine and that I should continue as usual. “
In August, Sibal was one of the signatories to the letter to Sonia Gandhi, the Acting President of Congress, seeking change and the appointment of “effective and full-time leadership” that is “visible” and “active” in the field. .
Asked about the letter, he said: “Since there has been no dialogue and there seems to be no effort for dialogue by the leaders and as there is no forum to express my views, I am forced to express them publicly. I am a congressman and I will continue to be a congressman and I hope and pray that Congress provides the alternative to a power structure that has subverted all the values that the nation defends. “
When asked if democratic elections within the party were the answer to the resurgence of Congress, he said: “Since the communication revolution took place, the elections have turned into a presidential contest… If we are not able to recognize our shortcomings , then even the electoral process will not do it. lead to desired results … Elections through nominations will not lead to desired results … Results will only come with time, they will come with credibility, they will come with changes in discourse and with a certain acceptance of our ideological positions . So even if they had listened to us, we wouldn’t have had great results. But at least we would be on track to rejuvenate Congress for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. “
Every organization, Sibal said, needs a conversation, “with experienced minds, experienced hands, with people who understand the political realities of India, people who know what and how to articulate in the media, people who know how to make people listen to them. “.
He also asked for alliances. “We can no longer wait for people to come to us. We are not the kind of force we used to be. “
© The Indian Express (P) Ltd
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