Kolkata, Dec 20 (IANS): Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen Friday said Congress lacked leadership and suffered in the recent assembly polls as it failed to fulfill people's expectations.

"People's aspirations were not met. So there is a considerable amount of antipathy towards the Congress in the country. Due to this, they did not do well in the recent elections," Sen told mediapersons at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport here.

Earlier this month, Congress received a drubbing in the assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi and Rajasthan. The party's only consolation was Mizoram, where it returned to power.

Stressing on the need for the Congress to project a good leadership, he said: "It can also be said there is a lack of leadership. They are yet to finalise who will lead them (in the coming polls)."

"There has to be a good leadership. The party has to go to the people and loudly announce who is the leader, and what the leader has to say. It is not possible to fight a political battle without coming before the people."

Sen is in West Bengal to attend the three-day Poush Mela in Santiniketan of Birbhum district beginning Dec 23.