National, Jan 4: The Congress on January 3 appointed senior party leader and Member of Parliament Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as the chairperson of the Assam Congress screening committee, entrusting her with a key organisational responsibility ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections in the state. The move marks her first major organisational assignment since she stepped down as All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in charge of Uttar Pradesh.
The screening committee will play a central role in the party’s election strategy, as it will be tasked with shortlisting candidates for all 126 Assembly constituencies in Assam. Candidate selection is considered a crucial exercise for the Congress as it seeks to revive its organisational strength and challenge the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, which is aiming for a third straight term in the state.
Alongside Assam, the AICC also announced the formation of screening committees for other states and Union Territories scheduled to go to polls. Former Rajya Sabha MP Madhusudan Mistry has been appointed chairperson of the Kerala screening committee, while former Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister T. S. Singh Deo will lead the panel for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Senior Congress leader B. K. Hariprasad has been named chairperson of the West Bengal screening committee.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s appointment is being viewed within the party as a strategic decision, with Assam emerging as a politically significant battleground in the Northeast. Her role is expected to bring sharper focus to candidate selection, social representation and internal coordination as the Congress prepares for a high-stakes contest.
The current Assam Assembly’s term ends on May 20, 2026, and elections are expected to be held around March–April, possibly in multiple phases, once the Election Commission announces the schedule. The electoral contest is likely to see the Congress pitted primarily against the BJP-led NDA, with regional parties and other opposition forces, including the All India United Democratic Front, also in the fray.
