You will be accountable for poll results: Kharge tells top leaders

The meeting, held at the party’s newly built headquarters, Indira Bhawan, came just days after Kharge implemented a series of organisational changes across states and union territories. Indicating that more changes were on the horizon, he reminded party leaders of their responsibility to revamp state units and ensure electoral success.

“I want to talk to you about the most important thing—accountability. You all will be held responsible for strengthening the organisation and for the outcome of future elections,” Kharge told the office-bearers.

The meeting was attended by senior leaders, including former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal, general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi, along with all state in-charges.

Kharge emphasised the need to rebuild the party from the grassroots, starting at the booth level. “It is your responsibility to bring in people who are ideologically committed and have stood by the party like a rock during difficult times,” he said. He also cautioned against hastily inducting individuals who might desert the party when faced with challenges.

Reflecting on the recent electoral setbacks, Kharge acknowledged the Congress’ poor performance in Delhi, Haryana and Maharashtra. Despite Congress failing to secure a single seat in the Delhi Assembly elections for the third consecutive time, he praised the state leadership for putting up a strong fight with limited resources. He urged leaders to stay focused on public issues over the next five years and work toward making Congress the principal opposition party in Delhi.

The party is now gearing up for upcoming elections in Bihar later this year, followed by Assembly polls in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Assam and West Bengal in 2026. Kharge acknowledged that while Congress has a strong base in Kerala, it faces significant challenges in Bihar and West Bengal, where the party’s organisation remains weak. In Tamil Nadu, Congress is allied with the ruling DMK but does not hold a position in the state government.

Taking aim at the Centre, Kharge criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for failing to protect the dignity of Indian citizens deported from the United States. His remarks underscored Congress’ efforts to keep public issues at the forefront as it seeks to rebuild its political standing ahead of future elections.