Country's unity above win or loss in elections: Cong leader Salman Khurshid

Bareilly (UP): Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid has said winning or losing elections is not important but what is important is the unity of the country.

On his party's defeat in the just concluded Gujarat assembly elections, he said the Congress' vote went to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and termed it a matter of concern.

Khurshid, who arrived here on Saturday to flag off the regional 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', attacked the Modi government and said the need for this yatra has arisen because the country is getting divided and the distance between people is increasing.

"It is more important to unite the country. It is not necessary whether you win or lose the election," he told reporters.

On the defeat in Gujarat, Khurshid said, "Our vote got transferred to AAP, so losing is not a matter of concern, what is the matter of concern is to find out how our vote went to Kejriwal?"

Warning the BJP of any misadventure -- hinting at horse trading -- in Himachal Pradesh, the Congress leader said if the saffron party thinks of any such thing, then it will only "blacken its face”.

Khurshid said the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' is meant to unite the country.

"In the last 10 years, distance has come between people. That's why uniting the country is more important than winning or losing elections," he said.

Khurshid also targeted Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia over his remarks that the Congress has lost its existence.

"Only those who do not know about Indian geography can say this. Even today there is no BJP in many provinces of the country," he said.

"The importance that Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia had in Congress, he no longer has in BJP," he added.

On India assuming the presidency of G-20, Khurshid said, "The chance to chair the G-20 comes on a rotation basis."