New Delhi, Oct 9 (IANS): The Congress slammed senior leader Salman Khurshid for his comment on the party's state of affairs.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said the party was fully geared up to contest elections in states. Senior leaders should refrain from making such comments, he added.

In a section of the media, former Union Minister Salman Khurshid has been quoted as saying Rahul Gandhi's walking away after the Lok Sabha polls debacle was the biggest problem. The Congress would not do well in upcoming elections, he was quoted as saying.

However, speaking to IANS, Khurshid said, "Despite our request, Rahul Gandhi stepped down. Many people requested him to continue, but he chose to step down. This was his decision and we should respect that.".

His comments came at a time when questions were being raised about Rahul Gandhi's decision to go abroad when the party was facing Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Haryana, less than two weeks from now.

According to reports, Rahul Gandhi had gone to Cambodia for "meditation".

The Congress is yet to recover from the May Lok Sabha polls setback. The central party leadership is yet to have the firm grip over the party even two months after Sonia Gandhi took over as its interim president.

There has been an exodus of leaders, significantly in the poll-bound Maharashtra and Haryana.