Ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in Assam, senior leaders of the Indian National Congress held a meeting of the party’s Central Election Committee (CEC) in the national capital on March 13.
The meeting was chaired by Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to review preparations and discuss strategy for the forthcoming state elections.
In a related development, the Congress received a boost in Assam after Jayanta Khaound, former national finance secretary of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), joined the party along with several of his supporters.
Khaound was formally inducted into the Congress at the party headquarters in New Delhi in the presence of senior leaders, including Jitendra Singh Alwar, D. K. Shivakumar, Gaurav Gogoi and party national secretary Manoj Chauhan.
Welcoming Khaound into the party, Gogoi said the entry of the grassroots leader reflects growing public dissatisfaction with the leadership of Himanta Biswa Sarma.
He also alleged that a wave of political change is emerging in the state and criticised the chief minister’s style of governance, claiming that experienced political workers are being sidelined.
Assam is expected to hold its next Legislative Assembly elections later this year. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party will aim for a third consecutive term in power, while the Congress hopes to regain power in the state.
