Congress not the kind of force it used to be, says Kapil Sibal

We need to reach out to others by those who are experienced in this business. But in order to do that we have to have a conversation,” Sibal said

Criticising the Congress over its performance in the Bihar Assembly Polls, senior party leader Kapil Sibal called for conversations with “experienced minds, experienced hands, with people who understand the political realities of India.”

In an interview with The Indian Express, Sibal said that the Congress needs strong alliances. “We need alliances, we need to reach out to people. We cannot anymore expect people to come to us. We are not the kind of force that we used to be. We need to reach out to others by those who are experienced in this business. But in order to do that we have to have a conversation,” he said.

His remarks assume significance as several poll analysts have stated that the Congress dragged the Grand Alliance down in the Bihar Polls as it fell short of the majority mark, with the NDA under Nitish Kumar's leadership emerging victorious in the polls by a narrow margin.

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Sibal added that organisationally, Congress needs to focus on articulation in the media by putting up people who people want to listen to. He stressed that the party should also look at “providing an active, thoughtful leadership who can articulate with a lot of circumspection.”

“We must ask ourselves what we are doing wrong and then correct ourselves. To be on a correction course, we must have a conversation with those wedded to the Congress party and experienced enough to contribute. It’s not difficult to do but it requires reaching out both within and without,” he told the publication.

Earlier today, criticising the party, Congress leader Tariq Anwar blamed the delay in finalising seat-sharing for the Bihar election for the Mahagathbandhan's poll performance.

Also read: Delay in finalising seat sharing hurt 'Mahagathbandhan' in Bihar: Tariq Anwar

He asserted that the Congress must learn from it and complete alliance formalities well in advance for upcoming Assembly polls.

(With agency inputs)