New Delhi: Former Congress leader Aswini Kumar said that without the party, there cannot be any effective Opposition in the Country. He, however, added that Congress has lost ground somewhere and needs to do some introspection for revival.

The former Union Minister, speaking at the launch of his book ‘Guardians of the Republic’, observed that the grand old party must look within itself to check its weaknesses rather than finding fault with other parties.

Congress is a great party: Ashwini Kumar

"Congress is a great party, and there cannot be an effective opposition in the country without it. That is a certainty. It still has its influence across the country. But yes, somewhere it has lost ground," news agency PTI quoted him as saying.

He added, "You need not the narrowness of mind, but the largeness of spirit, the magnanimity of the heart. That is the quality of leadership which Manmohan Singh represented… And that is the leadership that Jawaharlal Nehru represented.”

Not everything the PM says is wrong: Congress leader

Ashwini further noted that it would be incorrect to say that everting what the present government or PM Modi say or does s wrong. "The impression that this regime does everything wrong, that this prime minister does everything wrong, is also not correct," he added.

‘BJP has no obligation to strengthen the Congress’

Pointing out that the BJP has no obligation to strengthen the Congress, he observed, "Congress will have to strengthen itself from within by looking inwards, by introspecting… For example, Rahul Gandhi has his heart in the right place. He is an idealist. He speaks for the poor. And I like that. But somewhere, the messaging of the Congress has gone wrong. I don’t know. I cannot comment."

Stressing that he was no one to pass judgment, Ashwini said, as per the agency, "I am no one to pass judgment. They have to discover. They are very wise people, very wise leaders. It is a national obligation of the Congress to revive itself, to strengthen itself. And I wish it the very best."