Accepting defeat in the Madhya Pradesh elections, state Congress' campaign committee chief Jyotiraditya Scindia on Sunday called for "major reconstruction" and introspection in the party.
"Obviously it is very disappointing for us. This calls for a major reconstruction and introspection in the party. This was something we never expected," said Scindia.
The Union minister said that Congress' state leadership collectively failed in ensuring the party's victory.
"On all accounts we failed, failed and failed. There is a need to relook... It is the collective leadership of the party in the state (responsible for the loss)," he said.
Scindia felt Narendra Modi, who had campaigned in the state aggressively, had no impact in the state and congratulated Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on his victory.
"I do not think Modi had any impact. If there has been any impact in Madhya Pradesh it is Shivraj Singh Chouhan. My heartiest congratulations to him," he said.
Scindia, who represents Guna constituency in Madhya Pradesh in the Lok Sabha, said the assembly elections results will not have any bearing in the general elections scheduled for next year.
"Clearly the state leadership of the incumbent party leaders has gone in its favour and the state leadership of Congress has not gone in its favour. Clearly we need to introspect on it.
"It is not a reflection for Lok Sabha election. In 2008, remember we had lost both Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. But we had won Lok Sabha elections," he said.
Scindia said there was a need to strengthen party leadership in the state. "We need to work on Dalit-OBC combination in the state and the party cadre," he added.
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