Congress Acknowledges 2% Rise in Vote Share Despite Election Loss in Delhi

New Delhi, Feb 10 (NationPress) Congress National Spokesperson Ragini Nayak admitted on Monday that the party's performance in the Delhi Assembly elections was disappointing, with 67 out of 70 candidates losing their security deposits.

Nonetheless, she emphasized that the party's vote share increased by 2 percent, which she deemed a step forward.

Out of the 70 candidates fielded, only three were able to save their security deposits.

Nayak, speaking to IANS, stated, "The outcome did not meet our expectations. However, we cannot overlook the fact that our vote share has seen a 2 percent increase. This signifies progress compared to last time, with many constituencies in Delhi witnessing a doubling of our votes from the previous elections."

She expressed her optimism, likening it to seeing the glass as half full, and asserted that every Congress member would approach the next five years with renewed determination.

Nayak promised that the party would support the people in every constituency and strive to fortify its role as a strong Opposition.

"Introspection is essential, but our emphasis will also be on action. I am confident that the party will not only contemplate how to exponentially increase our votes but will also implement concrete measures to achieve this objective promptly," Nayak added.

While acknowledging the slight rise in vote share as a positive sign, she remarked, "I am pleased with our increased vote percentage. However, this should not lead to overconfidence or excessive excitement. We aimed for a significantly better outcome than achieved. We recognize our shortcomings. Embracing failure is a challenge we accept," she stated.

Of the 699 candidates contesting in the Delhi Assembly elections, 555 lost their security deposits. Congress, once a major player in Delhi, has failed to secure a single seat for the third consecutive election.

The only three Congress candidates able to retain their security deposits were Abhishek Dutt from Kasturba Nagar, who came in second, alongside Devendra Yadav from Badli and Rohit Choudhary from Nangloi Jat.

According to the Representation of the People Act, 1951, candidates are required to secure at least one-sixth of the total valid votes cast to maintain their security deposit.

For general category candidates, the deposit is Rs 10,000, while for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe candidates, it is Rs 5,000.

The Congress party now faces the task of revitalizing its standing in Delhi's political landscape following yet another electoral defeat, even as it finds some comfort in the slight increase in vote share.