To 'introspect' and discuss reasons behind its poor performance in the recently held Lok Sabha elections in which all 26 Congress candidates lost, the Gujarat Congress has organised a two-day 'Chintan Shibir' (introspection meet) here, beginning from tomorrow.
Making the announcement today, Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Arjun Modhwadia said that the meeting is aimed at strengthening the internal organisation of the Congress in Gujarat.
"The two-day meet will be held on June 28 and June 29 here. It will be attended by all senior party leaders, sitting MLAs, district and city presidents, candidates who contested Lok Sabha polls and other key party leaders. Gujarat Congress in-charge Gurudas Kamat will inaugurate the meeting tomorrow morning," Modhwadia said here today at a press conference.
"Election results were an eye-opener for us. It is a matter of introspection and analysis to find out what went wrong. We need to find solutions to questions which our party faces.
"Thus, we have called more than 370 of our leaders to put forward their suggestions to strengthen the party" former GPCC president Siddharth Patel, who was also present at the press meet, he said.
Veteran Congress leader from Vadodara, Manu Patel has also been invited by Modhwadia to give the keynote address.
"At the age of 94, Patel is the senior most Congress leader in India. Earlier, he served as general secretary of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) and president of the Congress Seva Dal," Modhwadia said.
During the two-day meet, invited guests are supposed to put forward their views about what went wrong and what can be done to strengthen the party.
"Instead of giving generalised speeches, leaders are supposed to provide specific and concrete suggestions about how to strengthen the party," party veteran Manu Patel said.
After the two-day exercise, the Congress will announce its future path and strategy through a new manifesto.
"On Sunday evening, the Congress will announce it's new manifesto based on suggestions given by party leaders during the meet," Modhwadia said.
