Kamal Nath downplays BJP's performance, rejects demand for leadership change in Congress

Senior Congress leader Kamal Nath joined the chorus for making major changes in the party in the wake of the poll debacle but favoured continuation of Sonia Gandhi as party chief saying the decision should be left on Rahul Gandhi as to when he wants to take over the reins. 

The former Union minister ringfenced the Gandhis from any attack, insisting that defeat is "equally shared by all in the party". Advocating reshuffle in the AICC secretariat as also the Congress Working Committee and changes in state units, Nath insisted that "the top leadership of Congress needs no change". 

"Sonia Gandhi should continue as the party president and Rahul Gandhi should decide when to takeover as the party chief," he told Karan Thapar on India Today. He dismissed suggestions of dynastic rule in the party, saying Gandhis are democratically elected and it is not dynasty over democracy in Congress. 

"Party has decided that Rahul Gandhi will be the next President," Nath said. "Gandhis will continue at the head of Congress as the party has elected Sonia and Rahul Gandhi as its president and vice president," he further said, adding he stood "in full support of the party's decision in this regard." He said that "people have voted for the Gandhis for decades."

On Congress' electoral setback in Assam, the former Union minister said he did not see it as BJP's victory. "I don't see it as BJP's victory. BJP is trumpeting it for nothing", he said, adding that "anti-incumbency and split in Congress" led to the loss of Assam.
Accusing BJP of "luring" Congress leaders in the state, he said Congress did not compromise on ideology, nor went for alliances. 

Rejecting BJP's claims of dominance in the just-concluded polls, Nath said Congress got more seats than BJP, if we combine every state while Congress got 140 seats overall, BJP had to be content with only 64 seats.

On the setback in West Bengal despite an alliance with the Left Front, he said, "Congress did not go for an alliance with Trinamool because local party leaders were not in favour of it." He also emphasised that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's campaign did not work in the state.

He attributed the heavy losses suffered by Congress in Tamil Nadu to "tough seats" it contested as part of the DMK-led alliance. "BJP got zero seats and they are trumpeting it," he said taking a dig at the saffron party.

On the issue of reorganisation of the party, Nath said "reorganisation of party is required in Delhi and also in states. That Congress party needs a new AICC, general secretary and CWC."

He said "the Delhi leadership needs reorganisation" adding that "the state leaderships need reorganisation overall." Nath expressed confidence that Congress will make a comeback", saying "nothing is static in politics."