Congress announces panels for poll-bound States; Priyanka to head screening committee for Assam election

Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has been appointed as the chairperson of a panel that will shortlist potential candidates for the upcoming Assembly election in Assam.

The party on Saturday (January 3, 2026) also announced the screening committees for Kerala, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

While Ms. Vadra will head the screening committee for Assam, other members include Lok Sabha MP Saptagiri Ulaka and Rajya Sabha MP Imran Masood.

The move shows Congress party’s intent to make a comeback in Assam, a State where the party had a 15-year-uninterrupted rule since 2001 before losing power to the BJP in 2016.

Last year, the party revamped the State unit by appointing its deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi as Assam Congress chief.

The screening panel in Kerala would be headed by Madhusudan Mistry, with Rajya Sabha MP Naseer Hussain, Neeraj Dangi and Abhishek Dutt being members of the panel.

The committee for Tamil Nadu and Pudducherry would be headed by T.S. Singh Deo while the one on West Bengal would be headed by B.K. Hariprasad.