<p id="thickbox_headline">Often at the receiving end since its debacle in the Lok Sabha elections, the Congress on Thursday declared that it will not participate in television debates for a month.</p>.<p>“Congress has decided not to send spokespersons on television debates for a month,” Randeep Singh Surjewala, in-charge of the AICC Communication Department said.</p>.<p>“All media channels/editors are requested to not place Congress representatives on their shows,” he added.</p>.<p>However, Congress leaders will continue to articulate its point of view through press conferences.</p>.<p>The decision follows similar steps announced by its friendly political outfits – the Samajwadi Party and the Janata Dal(S).</p>.<p>SP President Akhilesh Yadav had removed all media panellists of the party who participated in television debates, while the JD(S) issued a directive to its leaders against making any statements to the media.</p>.<p>Since its massive loss in the Lok Sabha elections on May 23, the Congress is going through a turmoil with its President Rahul Gandhi adamant on quitting the post despite the Congress Working Committee (CWC) rejecting his offer to step down.</p>.<p>Party leaders are also debating its communication strategies that have failed to strike a chord with the voters, who wholeheartedly backed the BJP campaign centred around the personality of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.</p>.<p>Congress had raised issues such as agrarian distress, unemployment, allegations of corruption in the purchase of Rafale fighter jets from France, which could not stand against the high-pitch nationalism of the BJP, particularly in the aftermath of the Balakot air strikes.</p>
<p id="thickbox_headline">Often at the receiving end since its debacle in the Lok Sabha elections, the Congress on Thursday declared that it will not participate in television debates for a month.</p>.<p>“Congress has decided not to send spokespersons on television debates for a month,” Randeep Singh Surjewala, in-charge of the AICC Communication Department said.</p>.<p>“All media channels/editors are requested to not place Congress representatives on their shows,” he added.</p>.<p>However, Congress leaders will continue to articulate its point of view through press conferences.</p>.<p>The decision follows similar steps announced by its friendly political outfits – the Samajwadi Party and the Janata Dal(S).</p>.<p>SP President Akhilesh Yadav had removed all media panellists of the party who participated in television debates, while the JD(S) issued a directive to its leaders against making any statements to the media.</p>.<p>Since its massive loss in the Lok Sabha elections on May 23, the Congress is going through a turmoil with its President Rahul Gandhi adamant on quitting the post despite the Congress Working Committee (CWC) rejecting his offer to step down.</p>.<p>Party leaders are also debating its communication strategies that have failed to strike a chord with the voters, who wholeheartedly backed the BJP campaign centred around the personality of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.</p>.<p>Congress had raised issues such as agrarian distress, unemployment, allegations of corruption in the purchase of Rafale fighter jets from France, which could not stand against the high-pitch nationalism of the BJP, particularly in the aftermath of the Balakot air strikes.</p>
