In a significant organisational move, the Congress party on Saturday appointed Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as the chairperson of its screening committee for Assam, where assembly elections are scheduled later this year.
First Major Role Since UP Setback
This assignment marks Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's first official organisational responsibility since her tenure as the All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh. The Congress faced a severe defeat in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, securing only two out of 403 seats. Following that, she remained a general secretary without a specific portfolio until she entered the Lok Sabha as a member from Wayanad in 2024.
Her name was included in the list of leaders heading screening committees tasked with shortlisting party candidates for several states going to polls. Alongside her, Madhusudan Mistry was made chairperson for Kerala, while TS Singh Deo will head the panel for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. BK Hariprasad will oversee the screening process for West Bengal.
How the Candidate Selection Process Works
The screening committees, in consultation with the respective state Congress units, will prepare a shortlist of potential candidates. This list will then be reviewed by the powerful Congress Central Election Committee (CEC), which holds the final authority in selecting the party's nominees for the upcoming elections.
Assembly polls are due this year in Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, and the union territory of Puducherry.
Renewed Spotlight on Priyanka Gandhi
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has been in the political spotlight recently, fueled by her active participation in Parliament. Her speeches, a meeting with Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari concerning her constituency, and a light-hearted exchange with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a post-session tea hosted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla have all generated significant buzz.
Internal party discussions had reportedly highlighted her unique position as the only AICC general secretary without an assigned responsibility, with many advocating for a more prominent role. Observers both within and outside the Congress have often drawn comparisons between her parliamentary speeches and those of her brother, Rahul Gandhi.
A Look at Her Political Journey
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, currently an MP from Wayanad and an AICC general secretary, formally entered active politics ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. For years prior, she operated behind the scenes as a key campaigner and strategist, especially in the Gandhi family bastions of Amethi and Rae Bareli.
In January 2019, she was appointed General Secretary for East Uttar Pradesh, a move seen as an attempt to revive the party's fortunes in the crucial state. However, the Congress faced defeats in both the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and the 2022 UP assembly elections under her charge.
In the 2024 general elections, she contested and won the Wayanad seat in a bypoll, which was vacated by her brother Rahul Gandhi after he decided to retain the Rae Bareli constituency.
The new role leading the Assam screening committee signals her re-engagement with a core organisational function, placing her at the heart of the Congress's strategy for a key state election.
