Gujarat Cong President Siddharth Patel resigns after poll fiasco

AHMEDABAD - Gujarat Congress President Siddarth Patel resigned from his post here on Saturday, as his party suffered an embarrassing defeat in the State Panchayat and Municipality elections.

Patel while taking up moral responsibility for party’s defeat in recent elections, has sent his resignation to the Congress party President Sonia Gandhi.

“There are doubts about the results which are not as per our expectations. But in spite of this, accepting moral responsibility for the results of local body elections I have resigned,” Patel told reporters here today.

Patel, however, thanked Sonia Gandhi for giving him a chance to lead Congress in Gujarat and said he would continue to work for the party.

Patel’s three-year term had ended three months ago but he had been given an extension by the party due to the elections.

Congress recently lost elections in six municipal corporation of the state.

In the panchayats and municipalities polls, the counting of which was carried out on Saturday, the party faced overwhelming defeat at the hand of Bharatiya Janata Party. (ANI)