Congress Strengthens Strategy for Assam Assembly Elections
Congress Appoints Senior Observers for Assam Elections
Bengaluru, Jan 8: In a strategic move ahead of the upcoming Assam Assembly elections, the Congress party has appointed D.K. Shivakumar, the Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka and president of the KPCC, as a senior observer for the state. He expressed his commitment to this role as a duty to the party.
During a press conference in Bengaluru on Thursday, Shivakumar stated that he felt compelled to accept the responsibility given by the party leadership.
“I have no choice. I must fulfill whatever tasks the party assigns me. As a dedicated member of Congress, my duty is to serve the party,” he remarked, noting that he had just received the announcement from the All India Congress Committee (AICC) regarding his new role.
Shivakumar mentioned that he had previously been given responsibilities in Assam and is now being called upon to lead once more.
In addition to Shivakumar, the Congress has also appointed Bhupesh Baghel, the former Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, and Bandhu Tirkey, a former MLA from Jharkhand, as senior observers for the Assam elections.
This decision was revealed by K.C. Venugopal, the AICC general secretary (organisation), who introduced observer teams for five states and Union Territories, including Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry, all of which are set to hold elections in the first half of the year.
The appointments follow the recent naming of Lok Sabha MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as the chairperson of the Congress screening committee for Assam. Shivakumar, Baghel, and Tirkey are known to have close ties with Vadra, who also serves as the AICC general secretary.
The elections for the 126-member Assam Assembly are anticipated to take place in March or April. Last month, the Congress announced a pre-poll alliance with several parties, including CPI(M), Raijor Dal, Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), CPI, CPI(ML) Liberation, Jatiya Dal–Asom (JDA), and the All Party Hill Leaders Conference (APHLC) based in Karbi Anglong, to contest the elections collectively.
Currently, the ruling BJP holds 64 seats in the Assembly, while its allies, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL), and Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), account for an additional 19 MLAs.
On the opposition side, the Congress has 26 members, the AIUDF has 15, and the CPI(M) has one MLA, along with one Independent legislator.
With the appointment of senior observers and ongoing alliance discussions, the Congress is poised to enhance its campaign strategies and coordination in Assam as the state approaches a crucial electoral battle.