Congress top brass to start meeting leaders from poll-bound States to finetune electoral strategy

The party seeks to mount a formidable challenge to the BJP in Assam and to the Left Front in Kerala

New Delhi: Congress central leadership will start meeting leaders from poll-bound States from Friday to finetune its electoral strategy, as it seeks to mount a formidable challenge to the BJP in Assam — where Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is likely to spend considerable time — and to the Left Front in Kerala.

Kerala leaders are the first to be called to Delhi for the meeting on January 16, two days after screening committee chairman Madhusudan Mistry’s two-day visit to the State from Tuesday, after the appointment of the panel to choose candidates.

West Bengal leaders have been summoned on January 17, which will be followed by a screening committee meeting in Kolkata the next day. Senior leaders from Tamil Nadu will also meet the central leadership, party sources said on Monday.

The schedule for meeting with Assam leaders is yet to be decided even though sources said it would happen next week. Sources indicated that Priyanka, who has been appointed chairperson of the Assam screening committee, may station herself in the State for a considerable time in the run-up to the elections.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, general secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal and in-charges of poll-bound States along with State presidents, legislature party leaders and other senior leaders will attend the meeting.

The meeting will finetune the election agenda and strategy for each State besides looking into internal party dynamics. The central leadership will be asking the State units to unitedly fight the elections while projecting collective leadership, particularly in Kerala.

The leadership may also rein in leaders of a section of leaders from Tamil Nadu, who are raising voices regarding its alliance with the DMK and the demand for participation in the government. The central leadership and a dominant section in Tamil Nadu are opposed to creating noises against the DMK.