Gearing up for the upcoming Punjab elections Congress on Monday announced various party panels. The former state unit president Sunil Jakhar has been made the campaign committee chief, meanwhile,Ajay Maken will lead the committee for screening prospective candidates.
Ambika Soni, a senior party leader, will chair the party's coordination committee, while Partap Singh Bajwa, a former state unit chief and Rajya Sabha member, would lead the manifestocommittee.
Sonia Gandhi, the party's president, today approved four election panels- a coordination committee, a campaign committee, a manifesto committee, and a screening committee, flagging theCongress' preparation for nearing elections.
The panel appointment hints at Congress’s realisation that "inclusion of Jakhar in the election screening panel is critical."
Moreover, three Hindus- Ambika Soni, Jakhar, and Ajay Maken have been included in today's appointments. Of 80 Congress MLAs, 13 are Hindus. The figures are highest among all politicalparties in the state.
Meanwhile, AICC in-charge of Punjab Harish Choudhary, Punjab Congress president Navjot Sidhu, CM Charanjit Singh Channi, campaign committee chairman Sunil Jakhar, and other AICC secretariesin-charge of the state would serve as ex officio members of the screening committee.
Punjab assembly elections are due next year. Congress, which will face AAP, Capt Amrinder’s Punjab Lok Congress and SAD is in hopes to retain power.