We accept people's mandate, will return with new strategy: Congress

After the defeat in assembly polls in five states, the Congress on Thursday said the election results are contrary to the party's expectations, but it accepts the people's mandate.

Addressing a press conference at the party's headquarters here, Congress general secretary and chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the party may have lost elections but not its courage and will continue to fight till it emerges victorious.

He also said that the Congress will reinvent and return with a new strategy and will always stand with the people, raising their issues, including inflation, unemployment and the "sinking" economy, with the same responsibility.

"We will introspect on the causes of defeat, work on the organisation and will try to do better in future. We are definitely disappointed but not demoralised. We have only lost the election, not courage. We are not going anywhere - we will keep fighting until we win. We will reinvent and return and will come back with a new strategy," Surjewala told reporters.

In Punjab, the Congress leader said even though the party presented a humble, clean and grounded leadership, it failed to overcome the anti-incumbency of 4.5 yrs of Amarinder Singh government and people voted for change.

"The election results of five states have come against the party's expectations. We were expecting good results in Uttarakhand, Goa and Punjab, but we accept that we failed to get the people's blessings," he said.

"We accept the verdict of the people and congratulate the Aam Aadmi Party Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal for their victory in Punjab," he told reporters.

In Uttar Pradesh, Surjewala said even though the Congress was successful in reviving the party, "we could not convert public opinion into seats".

The Congress party has been successful in reaching every street and locality of Uttar Pradesh, he said, adding that ''we fought better elections in Uttarakhand and Goa, but could not emerge victorious''.

"This is a lesson that we need to work harder on the ground," he said.

"We made every effort to keep this election away from the issues of casteism and religious polarisation. But with the help of BJP's massive campaign, emotional issues dominated the issues of education, health, inflation, unemployment," he said.

In a democracy, the decision of the people is paramount and this is also the strength of our democracy, he said.