Ahead of Polls, Assam Congress Leaders Meet Central Leadership in Delhi

The Congress central leadership, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge, leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi, and organisational general secretary KC Venugopal, on Friday sat with the Assam state leaders and observers for a high-level meeting in New Delhi.

This comes as the Congress wants to ensure a good result in the Assam assembly elections set for later this year. As such, the central leadership is entrusting the Assam Congress with crucial responsibilities.

Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi and senior leader Debabrata Saikia, along with the party’s in-charge in the state, Jitendra Singh, were in the meeting. In addition, Chhattisgarh Congress leader and former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar and former minister Bandhu Tirkey were also present.

Discussions were likely on election-related issues, including the party’s organisational position and strategies to counter the campaigns against the Congress led by Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Meanwhile, the Assam Congress reportedly requested Rahul Gandhi to undertake a rally similar to his “Bharat Jodo Yatra” in the state ahead of the polls, reported UNI. 

Senior leaders have already been assigned important positions, including the appointment of Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as the chairperson of the screening committee, as well as D K Shivakumar, Bhupesh Baghel and Bandhu Tirkey as observers, as the party looks to gain on lost ground in Assam.