Sonia accepts defeat with humility

She said there was a need to do deep introspection'

Accepting the people's verdict with "humility", top leadership of the Congress today pledged to transform the party ahead of 2014 Lok Sabha polls for which it would announce its Prime Ministerial candidate "at the opportune time".

Stating that the party was "very very disappointed" over the assembly results in four states, Congress President Sonia Gandhi said there was a need to do "deep introspection".

Gandhi and her son Rahul, party Vice President, met journalists at the Congress headquarters here to acknowledge the victory of "our opponents" whom she congratulated.

"Obviously people are unhappy. Otherwise they would not have given the results that they gave," she said.

Briefly analysing the causes for the defeat, Gandhi said there were a number of reasons, which included price rise and different issues.