Congress in poll mode, sets up three key panels for 2019 elections

Gearing up for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress on Saturday set up three crucial committees to look after election affairs related to coordination, manifesto and publicity.

Party chief Rahul Gandhi formed the key nine-member Core Group Committee comprising AK Antony, Ghulam Nabi Azad, P Chidambaram, Ashok Gehlot, Mallikarjun Kharge, Ahmed Patel, Jairam Ramesh, Randeep Surjewala and KC Veugopal.

A 19-member Manifesto Committee has been set up to come out with the party's manifesto for the general elections.

Gandhi also formed a committee comprising 19 top party leaders who will look after the party's publicity during the elections.

Announcing the setting up of the committees, party General Secretary, Organisation Ashok Gehlot said with the constitution of the committees, the party will go into election mode and start the work of putting up a manifesto and draw strategy for publicity and coordination.