<p>Congress’ attempts to revive itself in Uttar Pradesh suffered a serious setback in the recent by-polls in the state. The party not only failed to win any seat, its nominees lost their security deposits on nine of 11 Assembly seats they contested. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Barring Charkhari seat – where the party finished second behind the Samajwadi Party (SP) and pushed the BJP to third spot – and Hamirpur seat, the Congress candidates lost their security deposits on all other Assembly seats. The Congress had not put up nominee at Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat.<br /><br />In fact, barring Charkhari and Hamirpur, the party’s votes had experienced a sharp decline on all other seats much to the concern of the state party leaders. <br /><br />“We were expecting to win at least a couple of seats in the by-polls,” said UP Congress chief Nirmal Khatri.<br /><br />Congress nominees’ votes crossed five digits only at Hamirpur, Charkhari, Noida, Thakurdwara and Saharanpur. On all other seats, its nominees’ votes were in the range of 2,500 to 6,800.<br /><br />Congress leader Satyadeo Tripathi said the party would have to ponder over its performance in the by-polls and revisit its strategy to be able to do well in the 2017 Assembly polls in the state.<br /><br />UP Congress sources said the outcome of the by-polls could trigger a major shake-up in the state organisation of the party.<br /><br />“A change of guard in the state leadership is imminent now,” said a senior leader.<br />The Congress, which could win only two seats in the state in the recent Lok Sabha polls, had decided to go it alone in the by-polls as it aimed at making its presence felt on all the seats. Congress had an electoral alliance with the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) in the recent Lok Sabha elections.<br /><br />The Congress high command had, after the dismal showing in the Lok Sabha polls, dissolved all its state-level committees but allowed the state unit president Nirmal Khatri to continue. The party could win only Raebareli and Amethi seats in the Lok Sabha polls.<br />DH News Service</p>
<p>Congress’ attempts to revive itself in Uttar Pradesh suffered a serious setback in the recent by-polls in the state. The party not only failed to win any seat, its nominees lost their security deposits on nine of 11 Assembly seats they contested. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Barring Charkhari seat – where the party finished second behind the Samajwadi Party (SP) and pushed the BJP to third spot – and Hamirpur seat, the Congress candidates lost their security deposits on all other Assembly seats. The Congress had not put up nominee at Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat.<br /><br />In fact, barring Charkhari and Hamirpur, the party’s votes had experienced a sharp decline on all other seats much to the concern of the state party leaders. <br /><br />“We were expecting to win at least a couple of seats in the by-polls,” said UP Congress chief Nirmal Khatri.<br /><br />Congress nominees’ votes crossed five digits only at Hamirpur, Charkhari, Noida, Thakurdwara and Saharanpur. On all other seats, its nominees’ votes were in the range of 2,500 to 6,800.<br /><br />Congress leader Satyadeo Tripathi said the party would have to ponder over its performance in the by-polls and revisit its strategy to be able to do well in the 2017 Assembly polls in the state.<br /><br />UP Congress sources said the outcome of the by-polls could trigger a major shake-up in the state organisation of the party.<br /><br />“A change of guard in the state leadership is imminent now,” said a senior leader.<br />The Congress, which could win only two seats in the state in the recent Lok Sabha polls, had decided to go it alone in the by-polls as it aimed at making its presence felt on all the seats. Congress had an electoral alliance with the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) in the recent Lok Sabha elections.<br /><br />The Congress high command had, after the dismal showing in the Lok Sabha polls, dissolved all its state-level committees but allowed the state unit president Nirmal Khatri to continue. The party could win only Raebareli and Amethi seats in the Lok Sabha polls.<br />DH News Service</p>