Photo : PTINew Delhi: The Congress crushing defeat in the Assembly poll in five states where votes were counted on Thursday has revived calls within the party for introspection and organisational reforms. The Congress, a dominant force in the country’s politics for decades, displayed a dismal performance in all five states that went to polls recently, posing a serious challenge to Rahul Gandhi’s leadership. Not just the party failed to oust the BJP from power in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa, it also faced defeat at the hands of Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab, one of the few states where it is in the power. Some of the G-23 leaders, who have called for an organisational overhaul over the last two years, have already raised questions on Gandhi’s leadership, and again pitched for “reforms”.Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who was part of the G-23 group, said it is clear that change is unavoidable. He also said it is time to reaffirm the idea of India that the Congress has stood for and reform the party’s organisational leadership in a manner that will reignite those ideas and inspire the people. “All of us who believe in @INCIndia are hurting from the results of the recent assembly elections. It is time to reaffirm the idea of India that the Congress has stood for and the positive agenda it offers the nation…And to reform our organisational leadership in a manner that will reignite those ideas and inspire the people,” Tharoor said in a tweet. “One thing is clear — Change is unavoidable if we need to succeed,” the MP from Thiruvananthapuram said. Meanwhile, the Congress group of 23 leaders (G-23) will convene a meeting in the next 48 hours. “Upset with results and rapid decline of Congress in the recent Assembly elections, G-23 leaders to convene meet in the next 48 hours,” a senior leader told ANI. Former Congress leader Ashwani Kumar, who quit the party ahead of the Punjab Assembly polls, said the state election results signal the “endgame” for the grand old party and the emergence of an alternative political narrative in the country. “The election results signal the endgame for the Congress as the natural party of governance. An alternative political narrative is emerging with the AAP and the TMC as its principal engines, with a ragtag Congress desperately pretending to be relevant, unless it undergoes a transformative change,” Kumar said. Faced with more embarrassing defeats, Rahul Gandhi said that he humbly accept the people’s verdict adding that the party will learn from it. “Humbly accept the people’s verdict. Best wishes to those who have won the mandate. My gratitude to all Congress workers and volunteers for their hard work and dedication. We will learn from this and keep working for the interests of the people of India,” he tweeted.