Antony to head Cong panel to monitor Assembly polls

Buoyed by its recent success in civic polls in Karnataka where it is keen to wrest back power, Congress on Wednesday formed a high level co-ordination and monitoring committee headed by Defence Minister A K Antony for the coming Assembly elections.

Former Union Minister Ambika Soni, Overseas Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi, former Goa chief minister Luizinho Faleiro and Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Jitendra Singh are other members of the committee.

AICC general secretary and incharge of Karnataka affairs Madhusudan Mistry, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president G Parmeshwara and Congress Legislative Party leader Siddaramaiah will be ex-officio members of the Committee.

Screening committee

Congress last week formed another screening committee headed by senior party leader Luizinho Faleiro for Karnataka. Union Minister Jitender Singh and AICC general secretary in-charge for State Madhusudan Mistry besides KPCC chief G Parmeshwara and CLP leader Siddaramaiah are its other members.

The party national vice president Rahul Gandhi will hold a meeting with G Parameshwara, Siddaramaiah and others on Thursday to prepare the election plan.