Download the all-new Republic app:

Published 23:07 IST, November 16th 2020

Tariq Anwar blames Congress' state unit for poor performance in Bihar elections

Reacting to his party's abysmal performance in the Bihar elections, Congress' Tariq Anwar on Monday said that the Congress needed to 'introspect'.

Reported by: Ananya Varma
Follow: Google News Icon
  • share
null | Image: self
Advertisement

Reacting to his party's abysmal performance in the recently-concluded Bihar elections, Congress leader Tariq Anwar on Monday said that the Congress needed to 'introspect its performance in Bihar', adding that it was the responsibility of the 'state unit' to hold accountability for the results. 

"As part of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) led Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance), Congress was allocated 70 of the 243 seats in the Bihar Legislative Assembly. It won 19 seats only. We need to discuss our performance in Bihar. Although, it is not the party's national issue but of Bihar alone. As far as central leadership is concerned, they supported us. It is Bihar leadership's fault for not using opportunity properly," Anwar told news agency ANI.

Advertisement

"We all believe that there is a need for churning. Leaders like us who call themselves leaders of Bihar become the responsibility of them. I also raised the same question in my statement that the state unit of the party should do introspection over its performance," he added.

Read: Congress Slams RJD; Says 'contested On Seats Never Won By Alliance' After 'picnic' Jibe

Advertisement

Read: Tejashwi Yadav Congratulates 'nominated' CM Nitish Kumar, Reminds Of NDA's Poll Promise

Mahagatbandhan on Congress' poor strike rate

RJD has claimed that Congress shackled its alliance, hurting RJD's chances. Earlier on Thursday, Congress' Bihar ally, CPI (ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya commented that the strike of the grand old party was low, opining that 70 seats allotted to Congress was excessive.

Advertisement

Lashing out at RJD, Congress' Bihar in-charge Shaktisinh Gohil on Monday, claimed that the grand old party had agreed to contest on seats where the alliance had not won in 30 years. 

Meanwhile, Mahagathbandhan's CM face - Tejashwi Yadav refused to comment if Congress pulled down RJD's performance in the polls. Compared to Congress's lowly strike rate of 27.14%, CPI(ML) had an impressive 63% strike rate, which is higher than the single-largest party - RJD (52.03%). Several Congress leaders too had echoed similar sentiments.

Advertisement

Read: Nitish Kumar Takes Oath As Bihar CM For 7th Time, Ushering In His 4th Consecutive Term

Read: RJD Leader Says 'Congress Shackled Gathbandhan'; Slams Rahul Gandhi's 'picnic' Amid Polls

(With Agency Inputs) 

23:07 IST, November 16th 2020