Bhubaneswar: Urging the party's rank and file to remain united if they sincerely wanted to defeat Naveen Patnaik in the ensuing elections in Odisha, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Monday said only the party was to be blamed for its failure in the state.
"It is not that Congress is being defeated by the BJD, but Congress itself is responsible for its failure. The party is losing the elections due to lack of unity in its rank and file," Rahul Gandhi told party workers at the PCC members' meeting held here.
Before winding up his two-day Odisha tour, Gandhi gave the "winning mantra" to his party workers.
"Rahulji said unity is the strength of Congress. Until the party has fractions, it cannot win elections," said a senior leader who attended the meeting held at the Children's Park here.
"Rahulji has told us to maintain discipline in the party and that stringent action will be taken against anyone, however big the leader may be, if he is found to be breaching discipline," said former minister Suresh Kumar Routray.
The Congress vice-president also categorically said there would be no change of guard in the OPCC before the ensuing elections, Routray said, adding all were told to work hard.