Congress MLAs blame Delhi chief for poll debacle

Delhi Congress chief J.P. Aggarwal's "non-cooperation" and the party's inability to reach out to the voters were behind the rout in the assembly polls, the eight newly-elected MLAs told party vice president Rahul Gandhi Thursday.

Party sources said Gandhi called the MLAs to review the party's dismal performance in the assembly polls, where it won just eight seats in the 70-member house, down from the 43 in 2008.

While Congress general secretary in charge of Delhi Shakeel Ahmad was there at the meeting, state party chief Aggarwal was conspicuous by his absence, the sources said.

The newly-elected legislators complained to Gandhi about "non-cooperation" by Aggarwal.

They said party workers did not turn out to campaign, that the party was not able to explain its achievements to the voters and the anti-incumbency of 15 years of Sheila Dikshit's government weighed against the party's prospects.

Gandhi also sought to know how the debutant Aam Aadmi Party, which apparently dented the Congress vote bank, was able to win 28 seats in Delhi.