Congress not to host Iftar at national level this year

After its Lok Sabha poll debacle, the Congress is not hosting an Iftar party at the central level this year, but its state units are organising such parties at their own level.

Congress's minority cell chairman Nadeem Javed confirmed that no Iftar was being organised at the national level, but the state units were hosting such parties.

The Delhi Congress, led by former chief minister Sheila Dikshit, hosted an Iftar party last week.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi had hosted an Iftar last year at a plush hotel in the national capital, but no such party was being thrown this year, a senior party leader said.

Last year's Iftar party was the first one to be hosted by Gandhi after becoming the Congress president.

Sources said the drubbing in just-concluded Lok Sabha polls is cited as one of the reasons for not hosting an Iftar this year.