New Delhi: Days after witnessing an embarrassing nosedive in Assembly Elections in five states, Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday sought the resignation of Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) Presidents of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur.
According to Congress senior leader Randeep Surjewala, Sonia Gandhi asked for resignation of PCC Presidents of the states, which went to polls between February and March this year, in order to facilitate reorganisation of the Pradesh Congress Committee.
"Congress President, Smt. Sonia Gandhi has asked the PCC Presidents of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur to put in their resignations in order to facilitate reorganisation of PCCs," chief spokesperson of the party Randeep Surjewala said on Twitter.
The development comes after Congress failed to put up a competitive show against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in four states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur and could not even retain its government in Punjab which was swept by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Responding to Sonia Gandhi's orders, Uttarakhand Congress President Ganesh Godiyal resigned from the post on Tuesday evening.
"Taking moral responsibility for the party's defeat in the State Assembly elections, I have submitted my resignation today," he said in a letter to Sonia Gandhi.
On Monday, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) held a meeting to review the reasons behind party's humiliating loss in five states and asked had President Sonia Gandhi to initiate necessary changes in the organisation in order to strengthen it.
"The CWC unanimously reaffirms its faith in the leadership of Smt. Sonia Gandhi and requests the Congress President to lead from the front, address the organisational weaknesses, effect necessary and comprehensive organisational changes in order to take on the political challenges," it had said after the meeting.
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Amid calls for large-scale reforms to revive the party's dwindling electoral fortunes, AICC general secretary KC Venugopal said that the party president will immediately take corrective measures to revamp and re-strengthen the organisation.
Several party leaders have said this brainstorming session CWC for the next three-four days would chalk out the future roadmap and strategy in order to address challenges.
Meanwhile, Sonia Gandhi, in her opening remarks at the CWC, had said that she is ready "to make any and every sacrifice as Congress workers and the CWC wish in the interest of the party".