2 CMs, 3 Karnataka leaders among 12 Congress choices as senior observers in poll-bond states

Keeping an eye on the Assembly elections in April-May, Congress on Wednesday appointed 12 senior leaders, including two Chief Ministers and three from Karnataka, as senior observers to oversee poll campaign management and coordination in four states and a union territory.

The senior observers will work in close coordination with AICC General Secretaries and in-charges in the respective states.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, former Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameswara and senior Luizinho Faleiro have been assigned Kerala, where the Congress-led United Democratic Front is hoping to return to power by unseating the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front.

In Assam where Congress is seeking to enter into a coalition with smaller parties, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, AICC General Secretary Mukul Wasnik and senior leader Shakeel Ahmed Khan have been appointed senior observers.

Senior leader from Karnataka G Veerappa Moily, former UPA minister MM Pallam Raju and Maharashtra Minister Nitin Raut will head to Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. In Tamil Nadu, Congress will be part of the DMK-led coalition, which is now in Opposition while in Puducherry, the party is hoping to retain the government.

B K Hariprasad, former AICC General Secretary and a senior leader from Karnataka and senior leader Alamgir Alam and Vijay Inder Singla are the senior observers for West Bengal, where both the CPI(M) and Congress will have an electoral understanding.

In Kerala, the task is cut out for the Congress-led UDF as the LDF had an impressive performance in the recently concluded local body polls. Senior leaders said the LDF has got a morale booster from the local polls and Congress cannot sit back saying that Kerala never re-elected a government for a second consecutive term.

The appointment of two Chief Ministers in states, where Congress has the possibility of returning to power, as senior observers despite having AICC General Secretaries as in-charges is seen in party circles as interesting.

Sources said the choice of veterans Gehlot, Parameswara and Faleiro as observers in Kerala suggest the intent of the party and that it is not willing to give leeway for the BJP, which is trying hard to make a mark in the state. Tariq Anwar is the AICC General Secretary in-charge of Kerala while he has two AICC Secretaries to assist him.

Similar is the case with Assam where Baghel is drafted along with veteran leader Wasnik. Jitendra Singh is the AICC General Secretary in-charge in Assam.

Organisational veterans Moily and Hariprasad, both from Karnataka and had been in central leadership for long, also headed to Tamil Nadu and Bengal. In both the states, the BJP has high hopes and Congress does not want to be an insignificant player.