Amid growing calls for restructuring the Congress after its debacle in Uttar Pradesh, senior leader Mani Shankar Aiyar today stressed on the need for forging a 'grand alliance' as the party 'cannot defeat BJP and Modi alone'.

Aiyar called for forging fresh alliances to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party and strengthening the party by bringing in young leaders.

"It is very clear that Congress cannot alone take on the BJP. It would be foolish to say that today Congress can alone defeat Modi. But one would be sensible to say that after such results we can win and will win in 2019 polls by fighting him unitedly by forging alliances," he said.

We have to admit that on the basis of seats, it has been BJP's victory, Aiyar said.

"I feel that on the basis of seats, we have suffered a very big loss. But it is not that people have voted for Modi in 2017 or even in 2014, as more than 69 per cent did not vote for Modi in 2014 and around 59 per cent have not voted for him in 2017 in Uttar Pradesh," he said.

About Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, he said he faced no challenge from within the party.

Admitting that the Congress' space in national politics was shrinking, he said there was a need to bring in fresh young faces, including those from different regions, in leadership role. -- PTI