In a major strategic move ahead of crucial state elections, the Indian National Congress has appointed a team of senior leaders as observers to oversee its campaign in five poll-bound states. The party has tapped former chief ministers and prominent figures to steer its efforts in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and the union territory of Puducherry.
Key Appointments for Assam and Kerala
The Congress announced on Wednesday that former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar will serve as senior party observers for the upcoming Assam Assembly elections. They will be joined by Congress leader Bandhu Tirkey for the Assam polls.
For the Kerala Assembly elections, the party has named former Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot as a senior observer. He will be supported by a team that includes Karnataka Minister K J George, Rajya Sabha MP Imran Pratapgarhi, and party leader Kanhaiya Kumar.
Observers for Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and West Bengal
The Congress has also formed observer teams for other states going to the polls. For the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Assembly elections, senior party leader Mukul Wasnik and Telangana Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy have been appointed as senior observers, along with Qazi Mohammad Nizamuddin.
For the high-stakes West Bengal Assembly election, the party has appointed Sudip Roy Burman, Shakeel Ahmad Khan, and Prakash Joshi as senior observers. These appointments underscore the Congress's intent to put up a strong fight in states where it is seeking to regain or expand its footprint.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's Role and Election Timeline
In a related development, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was named last week as the chairperson of the Congress party's screening committee for Assam. This marks her first major organisational responsibility after her role as AICC general secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh. Her committee will be instrumental in shortlisting candidates for the state.
Other screening committee heads include Madhusudan Mistry for Kerala, TS Singh Deo for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, and BK Hariprasad for West Bengal.
The elections in these states are strategically significant as they will be held in the next few months. The tenures of the current legislative assemblies in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Puducherry are due to end in May and June 2024, setting the stage for a critical electoral battle.
This large-scale deployment of senior leaders as observers highlights the Congress's focus on strengthening its ground-level management and candidate selection process. The move is seen as an attempt to bring experienced administrative and political minds to the forefront of the campaign machinery in these diverse states.
