'Delhi Election results an unmitigated disaster like Coronavirus': Congress' Jairam Ramesh

Congress senior leader Jairam Ramesh on Thursday reacted to the party's loss in the Delhi Assembly election. Ramesh termed Congress' defeat as an 'unmitigated disaster like the Coronavirus.' He also mentioned that the BJP utilised the Shaheen Bagh's anti-CAA protest to "polarise" votes in Delhi.

Citing the Delhi Assembly election results Ramesh said, "The BJP utilised the Shaheen Bagh's anti-CAA protest to polarise votes. In the short run, BJP has not won but the result is a disaster for the Congress party also. It is an unmitigated disaster like coronavirus for the Congress."

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Speaking on minority communalism, he said, "We have to be very clear. We should not be pandering to any religious sentiment of anybody and that is real secularism. Real secularism is fighting communalism of all types with aggression." 

"We have to be bold and aggressive against all forms of communalism. Unfortunately in the public, the propaganda is that Congress is soft on minority communalism. It is a reality. We have to address this issue. We cannot live in a make-believe world. We should wake up," he added.

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Delhi assembly polls crisis

Further voicing his concern over the Congress debacle in the Delhi assembly polls and the crisis it is facing in some states like Bihar and the Uttar Pradesh, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has suggested that the party "ruthlessly" reinvent itself or face the prospect of becoming irrelevant. Senior leader Veerappa Moily has called for a "surgical" action to revive the party in the context of the Delhi election drubbing.

Ramesh said, "Congress leaders have to reinvent themselves. Congress party has to reinvent itself if it has to be relevant. Otherwise, we are staring at irrelevance. Our arrogance has to go, even after six years out of power sometimes, some of us behave as if we are still ministers. The substance and style of our leadership have to change. We are virtually non-existent in Bihar, We are almost extinct in UP but we are strong in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. Haryana we have come back."

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Delhi assembly elections result

Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party swept the Delhi assembly polls with 62 seats, five less than in 2015, as per the final results announced by the Election Commission on Tuesday night. While BJP secured victory in the remaining eight constituencies in the 70-seat Delhi assembly, up from three in 2015, Congress could not open its account for the second time in Delhi. The victory of the AAP ensured a hat-trick for Arvind Kejriwal in the office of Delhi Chief Minister.

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(with PTI inputs)