"Congress defeat is bigger than AAP," says party leader Udit Raj

New Delhi [India], February 9 (ANI): After the congress">Congress party failed to open its account in the national capital for the third time in a row, leader Udit Raj termed his party's loss in the Delhi assembly elections "bigger" than that of Aam Aadmi Party, as it failed to rise even in an atmosphere of 'anti-incumbency'.
Raj said that congress">Congress has harmed itself more than AAP, as it failed to connect with the voters who were added to the party during Lok Sabha elections and hence they switched to the BJP in assembly elections.
The congress">Congress leader said that the party should have started working just after the Lok Sabha elections and the party could have easily managed to get 15-20 per cent votes
"congress">Congress has harmed itself more than AAP. The vote bank which had returned to us in the Lok Sabha elections after they were outraged from AAP. congress">Congress lacked connectivity due to which they added up into BJP. congress">Congress defeat is bigger than AAP," Udit Raj said.
"We should have emerged in this anti-incumbency. This is our shortcoming somewhere. Rahul Gandhi tried but he could give only message, making it reach to the people was work of party workers. Working only during elections doesn't help. If we would have worked after Lok Sabha elections and worked on social justice, we could have easily managed 15-20 per cent votes," he added.
Raj further pointed out that the party lacked in communication, whether it was towards the Muslim, Dalit or OBCs community, adding that the party did only "traditional politics" instead of this, it could have connected to the issues of the people.
"We could have set narrative among Muslims that whether congress">Congress is winning or losing, they should look for their safety. If AAP could have win, they also could not give that safety to Muslims. This can be only done by congress">Congress. We should have communicated this. I tried but could not succeed. We didn't communicate Dalits, OBCs. Freebies can only be countered with participation. We should have built up this narrative... But we did traditional politics which can't be carried out more," the congress">Congress leader said.
"In Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi made a departure from traditional politics and took it towards the Constitution and its safety, from which we benefitted. We need to analyse this defeat very well...Instead of making a hi-fi manifesto, we should have connected to the issues of the people," he added.
The congress">Congress, which was hoping for a revival in the national capital, again failed to win any seat. The party, which ruled Delhi for 15 years from 1998, registered a hat-trick zero tally in the assembly polls.
BJP stormed to power in the Delhi polls on Saturday, winning a two-thirds majority, with the ruling AAP suffering major blows and a drastic reduction in its numbers in the 70-member assembly. The congress">Congress continued its dismal run.
Bharatiya Janata Party won 48 seats in a historic mandate, returning to power in the national capital after 27 years. Several AAP leaders, including former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, lost in their strongholds, with Chief Minister Atishi managing to retain her seat.
The counting of votes was taken up on Saturday morning, with votes having been polled on February 5. (ANI)