Resignations fly in Congress, Rahul Gandhi may step down today

A day after the Congress suffered an embarrassing defeat, three senior Congress leaders from Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Karnataka tendered their resignations to Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday. Those who owned up for the poll debacle and put in their papers include Uttar Pradesh chief Raj Babbar, HK Patil from Karnataka, and Odisha Congress chief Niranjan Patnaik.

With the Congress Working Committee (CWC) set to meet on Saturday to take stalk of the situation, all eyes will be on Gandhi. There was buzz in the Congress that Gandhi too will step down from the post of party president.

Gandhi led a dud poll campaign across the country. He even failed to retain Amethi, the Gandhi family stronghold in Uttar Pradesh.

The Congress won only 52 seats across the country, while the BJP scored 302 seats.

Babbar sent his resignation on Friday. Babbar, who contested from Fatehpur Sikri, lost by a margin of 5 lakh votes to the BJP candidate. "I find myself guilty of not discharging my responsibility in a proper manner," Babbar tweeted. Party's Amethi district president Yogendra Misra also put in his papers.

Patnaik had earlier resigned after the Congress won just 9 assembly seats and one Lok Sabha seat. He has sent his resignation taking responsibility for the party's performance in the state in the recently-concluded polls," state unit party spokesperson Rajiv Bakshi told news agency PTI. Sources said that more Congress leaders will put in their papers at the CWC meet on Saturday.

Losers Quit

• UP chief Raj Babbar, HK Patil from Karnataka, and Odisha Congress chief Niranjan Patnaik have given resignations
• Sources said that Rahul Gandhi is also likely to step down as party president at the CWC meet on Saturday
• The Congress won only 52 seats across the country, while the BJP scored 302 seats