“We will introspect into the reasons for our loss and will rededicate ourselves to the service of the people with greater vigour”, Gandhi said in a statement.
Extending her best wishes to the leaders of the winning parties, Gandhi hoped that good governance and development shall remain the centre point of political discourse.
“Congress accepts the verdict of the people of Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Kerala with utmost humility. I thank all the voters who participated in strengthening our democratic process during these elections as also the Congress workers and leaders who worked hard during the campaign”, she said.
She congratulated people of Puducherry for giving the mandate to the party.
Congress has been losing election after election after the 2014 Lok Sabha polls in which it had come out with its worst ever performance, securing just 44 seats in the 543-member House.
It had since lost power in Maharashtra, Haryana, Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir. It also failed to perform creditably in tribal dominated Jharkhand.
The remarks of Gandhi as also several other party leaders suggest that the AICC could go in for a brainstorming session soon to generate fresh ideas and a strategy that could help it overcome the challenging political situation.
Gandhi is at the helm of the party since March 1998 and has created a record of sorts by being the longest serving chief of the Congress.
Her son Rahul Gandhi was made party Vice President in January 2013 at the Jaipur Chintan shivir held over a year ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in which he was the “face” of the party. Since then Rahul has been more active in the organisation, with the Congress President taking a backseat.
PTI