The All India Congress Committee has named Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to head the party’s screening committee for candidates contesting elections in Assam and four other states, the party announced on Tuesday. The move places Gandhi at the centre of candidate selection for critical contests due to be held in the first half of the year.
Priyanka Gandhi Assam screening committee to vet candidates
K.C. Venugopal, the AICC general secretary for organisation, issued a statement confirming the committee’s composition and remit. It will prepare and finalise the Congress lists of candidates for elections in Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry.
The panel for these states has four members. Alongside Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the committee includes Lok Sabha MPs Imran Masood, Saptagiri Shankar Ulaka and Sirivella Prasad. The announcement said the committee will work with local party units and allies as the Congress prepares its electoral strategy.
Assam’s legislative assembly has 126 seats and is expected to go to the polls in March–April. The screening committee will assess potential nominees, balancing local dynamics, alliance considerations and winnability. The Congress faces contesting the polls in partnership with regional allies in several states.
Priyanka Gandhi, who also serves as an AICC general secretary and is a Member of Parliament, has been entrusted with a high-profile organisational task at a sensitive political juncture. The appointment signals the party’s intention to place experienced central leaders in charge of candidate selection for the forthcoming round of elections.
The statement also quoted Priyanka Gandhi making pointed remarks about the central government, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi had spent a significant portion of his working time abroad. Party officials have used such critiques in recent weeks to contrast the Congress’s focus on domestic issues with the ruling party’s priorities.
The panel’s work will extend beyond Assam. In West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry the Congress will need to weigh alliances and local factors. Each state presents distinct challenges for candidate selection: West Bengal will test the party’s organisational strength; Kerala demands attention to shifting voter priorities; Tamil Nadu requires effective coordination with regional partners.
Campaign planning and seat-sharing discussions are likely to follow once the screening panels submit their recommendations. The Congress has in recent years emphasised a coordinated approach to managing alliances and local units, and the AICC’s directive is intended to accelerate decision-making ahead of the expected election timetable.
With the formal announcement now public, attention will turn to how quickly the committee can complete its evaluations and whether its choices will satisfy state leaders and ally parties. The timing of nominations and final lists will be crucial to allow adequate time for campaigning ahead of polling, should the elections take place in March and April.
The AICC urged party units and leaders to cooperate with the screening committee. For the Congress, success in these elections is seen as important for rebuilding its organisational base and presenting a unified front against the incumbent administration.
Key Takeaways:
- Priyanka Gandhi Vadra appointed chair of the Congress screening committee for Assam and four other states.
- The committee will vet candidates for Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry ahead of likely 2025 elections.
- Imran Masood, Saptagiri Shankar Ulaka and Sirivella Prasad named as committee members; AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal announced the move.
- Assam assembly polls for 126 seats are expected around March–April, with the Congress set to contest alongside alliance partners.
