Congress still strong despite Maharashtra poll setback, says Sapkal

Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal has dismissed suggestions that the party has weakened following its dismal performance in the recent Maharashtra Assembly elections Despite securing just 16 seats Sapkal insists the party remains resilient and is preparing for a course correctionCalling the current scenario a doordie situation Sapkal who recently took charge as state Congress chief affirmed his commitment to revitalising the party It is incorrect to assume that the cadre is demoralised The election results were shocking but our workers are eager for change Winning only 16 seats does not signify weakness You will witness their enthusiasm once we enter action mode Sapkal told PTI in an interviewAccording to PTI the Congress which is part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi MVA alliance along with Shiv Sena UBT and NCP SP contested 101 seats in last yearrsquos elections but won just 16Sapkal also accused the BJPled government of deliberately delaying local body elections The government does not appear to have any intention of holding civic polls which have been pending for nearly two years The Panchayati Raj amendments facilitated the devolution of power at the grassroots level but the current administration is obstructing this process People seem to have forgotten that elected representatives in the form of corporators and Zilla Parishad members once played a crucial role he said as per PTI reportsStressing the importance of these elections Sapkal asserted that the principles of decentralisation enshrined in the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments were not being upheld India has over 4250 MLAs and 750 MPs but governance cannot be effectively carried out by only 5000 elected representatives in a nation of 140 crore people across 30 states 8000 cities and more than six lakh villages However the BJP seeks to centralise power within the chief minister at the state level and the prime minister and home minister at the national level he claimedHe further alleged that legal complications over the Other Backward Classes OBC quota were deliberately created to stall local elections Many litigations were filed on this issue which was used as an excuse to delay polls Sapkal stated as per PTIDespite the partyrsquos poor electoral performance Sapkal remains determined to rebuild I have taken on the challenge of leading the state Congress unit which faced its worstever performance in the Assembly polls But I have the support of our cadre and leaders This is a makeorbreak moment for us he told PTIAccording to PTI Sapkal criticised the BJPrsquos strategy of shaping narratives against the Congress stating that while perceptionbuilding is an effective political tool ground realities are shaped by livelihood concerns such as farming costs crop rates unemployment and inflation The government prioritises the interests of a few over the needs of the people he allegedSapkal also argued that the current political landscape has become an ideological battle between two factions the Congress and the BJP There are only two ideologies today ndash that of the BJP and that of the Congress We must fight this ideological battle unitedly and with discipline he emphasisedHe further claimed that caste and religion are being exploited to create divisions in society We must ensure harmony is maintained in Maharashtra The statersquos social fabric has been strained and we need to reestablish lsquosadbhavanarsquo goodwill If we fail the crisis will not just impact future generations but also our present he warned according to PTIThe Congress leader also asserted that his party has the strength to navigate this crisis The Congress has a strong foundation However the links between voters cadre and leaders have loosened These need to be reinforced Fixing responsibility ensuring accountability giving mass leaders key roles accommodating loyalists and replacing inefficient officebearers are my focus areas he saidSapkal added that sadbhavana meetings and training sessions would be conducted across the state as part of the partyrsquos rebuilding efforts Unlike the BJP whose backbone is the RSS the Congress draws its strength from its legacy and traditions The partyrsquos DNA is intertwined with the countryrsquos DNA because it is a massbased organisation We need to rectify any shortcomings within the party he statedAcknowledging the challenging times the Congress is facing Sapkal expressed confidence in the people The Congress trusts the people of this country and will continue to raise their concerns There is not a single village in India that does not have a Congress worker In times of struggle unity prevails While doubts are being cast on the party the reality is that the Congress remains strong he asserted according to PTI reportsWith inputs from PTI