Defeat doesn't mean political work has come to standstill: Sonia Gandhi to Congress leaders

NEW DELHI: In a bid to keep high the morale of Congress leaders who had unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha elections, party President Sonia Gandhi has asked them to continue to work in their constituencies, saying defeat "does not mean that one's political work has come to a standstill".

"She has written a letter to all of us, who contested the Lok Sabha elections. I presume so because I got a letter very clearly stating that she expected us to win and she was sure that we would be successful," said AICC general secretary Ambika Soni, who had unsuccessfully contested from Anandpur Sahib in Punjab.

According to Soni, Gandhi has said in the letter that even though some leaders have not been able to win, "it does not mean that one's political work has come to a standstill".

Gandhi also told the party leaders that "we should reach out to all those people, who have voted for us and expressed their confidence in Congress despite the difficult circumstances prevailing today".

Talking to reporters at the AICC, Soni said the letter has inspired her.

A close confidante of the Nehru-Gandhi family, Soni was brought into the electoral battle in Punjab as part of the Congress strategy to field its heavyweights to brighten its poll prospects. However, she lost her maiden Lok Sabha election to Shiromani Akali Dal general secretary Prem Singh Chandumajra.

Former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, who won from Amritsar, was an exception as other senior party leaders of the state including its CLP leader Sunil Jakhar lost.