Rahul's leadership not questioned at CWC meet: Ambika Soni

Congress leader Ambika Soni on Saturday asserted that party president Rahul Gandhi's leadership was "not at all" questioned at the Congress Working Committee meeting held earlier today to assess the reasons behind its drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls.

"Not at all," Soni said when asked whether Gandhi's leadership was questioned at the CWC meeting.

Meanwhile, Gandhi on Saturday offered to resign from his post following the party's drubbing in Lok Sabha polls, but his offer was unanimously rejected by CWC leaders.

"Congress President Rahul Gandhi in his address to the CWC offered his resignation, as the party president. The CWC unanimously and with one voice rejected the same and requested the Congress President for his leadership and guidance in these challenging times," a resolution adopted in the meeting said.

Releasing the resolution, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the meeting decided that a complete introspection will be done on the reasons for the electoral debacle and authorised Gandhi to make changes in the party and restructure at every level.

Congress despite extensive campaigning by Rahul and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, among other leaders, was decimated to a single seat - Raebareli, represented by Sonia Gandhi - in Uttar Pradesh. Rahul, who was the MP from Amethi since 2004, lost to Union Minister Smriti Irani.

The party put up a poor show in states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh where it had won the Assembly elections just five months ago.

In the 2014 general elections, the Congress had won 44 seats - the lowest score in its history. This year, it improved its tally marginally to reach 52 seats.

Meanwhile, the chiefs of Congress' units in states like Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha have offered to resign from their post owing to the party's poor performance.