Priyanka Gandhi to visit Assam from 18 Feb for poll strategy meetings

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will visit Assam on a two-day trip from 18 February to hold a series of organisational meetings ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections, a state party leader said on Sunday.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, a Congress general secretary and Lok Sabha MP, is also the chairperson of the party’s screening committee for the Assam polls. According to state Congress general secretary (organisation) Bipul Gogoi, she will meet various office-bearers and leaders during her stay.

The meetings will include interactions with the political affairs committee, MLAs, district presidents, frontal organisation heads, legislature party leadership, working presidents, MPs, cell heads and booth-level functionaries, among others, Gogoi said in a statement.

She is scheduled to return to Delhi on the evening of 19 February.

The elections to the 126-member Assam Assembly are expected to be held in March–April, with the Congress exploring alliances with several opposition parties for the contest.

The party’s screening committee also includes Lok Sabha MPs Imran Masood and Saptagiri S. Ulaka, along with Sirivella Prasad.

In the current Assembly, the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) holds 64 seats. Its allies AGP (Asom Gana Parishad) have nine MLAs, UPPL (United People’s Party Liberal) seven, and BPF (Bodoland People’s Front) three. In the opposition ranks, the Congress has 26 members, AIUDF (All India United Democratic Front) 15 and CPI(M) (Communist Party of India-Marxist) one MLA, besides one Independent legislator.