Cong appoints Arun Yadav, two others to MP assembly polls screening committee

Ahead of the crucial assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Congress on Monday 4 September announced the appointment of additional members as special invitees to the screening committee.

In an official note, Congress said, "Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has approved for appointing additional members as the Special Invitees of Screening Committee for the ensuing Madhya Pradesh assembly elections-2023 with immediate effect."

The party has now included Arun Yadav, Suresh Pachauri and Ajay Singh Rahul as the special invitees to the screening committee.

On 2 August, the Congress had named Jitendra Singh as chairman of the screening committee for Madhya Pradesh, with Ajay Kumar Lallu and Saptagiri Ulaka as its members.

While former chief ministers Kamal Nath and Digvijay Singh, CLP leader Govind Singh, state in-charge JP Agarwal, campaign committee chairman Kantilal Bhuria, Kamleshwar Patel and party secretaries in charge of the state will function as ex-officio members.

The party had last month also replaced state in-charge Agarwal with party leader Randeep Singh Surjewala in the poll-bound state.

The Congress is hoping to make a comeback in the state and is leaving no stone unturned to return to power, where it had lost in March 2020 following the revolt by Jyotiraditya Scindia, who deserted the party along with 22 MLAs and switched to the BJP.