Ahead of next year's polls, Sonia Gandhi discusses roadmap in Himachal with state leaders

Congress President Sonia Gandhi met with senior Himachal Pradesh leaders on Tuesday and reviewed the party's preparations for the Assembly elections next year.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday urged party leaders in Himachal Pradesh to remain united to address the challenges ahead of assembly polls next year and noted that the party lost out in recent state elections only because of disputes among local leaders, sources said.

Chairing a meeting of party leaders from the hill state, she said indiscipline should not be there and leaders should not air their differences in public.

The leaders are learnt to have discussed the roadmap ahead in the wake of the poll debacle in five states. They told the Congress president that the organisation in the state requires a change by infusing fresh blood, with some even calling for a change of guard in Himachal Pradesh.

Gandhi, however, did not say if any changes are on the anvil in the state.

Around 24 leaders from the state met Sonia Gandhi in the evening and the meeting lasted around two hours.

''Gandhi heard all the leaders and asked them to remain united and not air their differences in public,'' a source said.

Sources said she told the leaders that the party has fared poorly in recent elections only because of disputes among local leadership in the states.