Bihar election 2020: Congress announces six-poll panels; Randeep Surjewala to head election management
Surjewala will chair the 14-member panel which includes former Speaker Meira Kumar, former minister Subodh Kant Sahay and party's star campaigners for Bihar polls Shatrughan Sinha and Kirti Azad.
FollowNew Delhi: Congress General Secretary and former Haryana minister Randeep Singh Surjewala was on Sunday named chairperson of the party’s election management and coordination committee for the three-phase Bihar Assembly polls starting October 28.
Surjewala will chair the 14-member panel which includes former Speaker Meira Kumar, former minister Subodh Kant Sahay and party's star campaigners for Bihar polls Shatrughan Sinha and Kirti Azad.
The panel also features CWC member Tariq Anwar, former AICC General Secretary Shakeel Ahmed and ex Haryana minister Ajay Yadav.
Surjewala’s ascent in the Congress is being closely watched by insiders since his multiple elevations in the only comprehensive party reshuffle Congress president Sonia Gandhi affected after the 2019 Lok Sabha loss recently.
According to the party's release, Congress president Sonia Gandhi also announced five other panels for Bihar polls, including panels for publicity, media, and legal affairs, public meeting, and Logistics and office management committee.
Party's National Spokesperson Pawan Khera has been named as media committee head for the Bihar polls.
Congress on Saturday submitted a list of star campaigners for Bihar assembly elections which includes party chief Sonia Gandhi, party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, and former prime minister Manmohan Singh.
Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Sachin Pilot, who has had differences with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, is also in the list of 30 leaders submitted to the Election Commission.
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amrinder Singh and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel apart from Gehlot are in the list.
Others in the list include Gulam Nabi Azad, Shaktisinh Gohil, Tariq Anwar, Shatrughan Sinha, Shakeel Ahmed, Kirti Azad, Nikhil Kumar, Randeep Singh Surjewala, Anil Sharma, Pramod Tiwari, Akhilesh Prasad Singh, Udit Raj and Raj Babbar.
Sources said Rahul Gandhi would hold at least six rallies in the Bihar elections with two rallies in each phase. They said details are being worked out.
Elections to the 243-seat Bihar assembly will be held in three phases - October 28, November 3, and 7 - and the counting of votes will take place on November 10.
(With inputs from agency) Â
