Priyanka to head Congress screening committee for Assam polls

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has been appointed the chairperson of the Congress screening committee for the selection of candidates for the upcoming Assam assembly elections, the party said in a notification.

All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal announced on Saturday (January 3) night the formation of screening committees for the five states and Union territories going to polls in the first half of this year.

The four-member committees were formed for Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry to finalise candidate lists to contest the forthcoming state elections, the statement said.

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Two close aides of the AICC general secretary and parliamentarian, Imran Masood and Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, both Lok Sabha MPs, along with Sirivella Prasad have been made the members of the Assam committee, the notification added.

Opposition parties join hands

The elections to the 126-member Assam Assembly are likely to be held in March-April this year.

Last month, Congress, CPI(M), Raijor Dal, Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), CPI, CPI(ML) Liberation, Jatiya Dal-Asom (JDA) and Karbi Anglong-based All Party Hill Leaders Conference (APHLC) joined hands to fight the assembly elections from a common platform.

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Currently, the ruling BJP's strength in the 126-member Assam Assembly is 64, while its allies AGP has nine MLAs, UPPL has seven and BPF has three members.

In the Opposition camp, the Congress’s strength is 26, AIUDF has 15 members and CPI(M) has one MLA. There is an Independent legislator as well.

(With agency inputs)