New Delhi, Mar 13 (IANS): Following its poor performance in the assembly polls in five states, especially Uttar Pradesh, the Congress Tuesday put up a brave face and said in parliament that it accepts "any defeat" and moves on.

"We fight elections to serve the common people...we accept any defeat in the polls," Congress MP Girija Vyas told the Lok Sabha during the debate on the motion of thanks to President Pratibha Patil's address Monday to the joint sitting of parliament.

"Congress has given democracy to the people and the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is committed to serve the common man," she said.

She took a dig at the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for "running corrupt governments" in Uttarakhand and Karnataka and taking in corrupt politicians in Uttar Pradesh.

"This shows the mask the BJP wears," she said.

She said the government was focusing on agricultural growth to meet the increasing demand for food in the country.