Congress announces Bihar poll panels; Surjewala to head election management and coordination committee

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 11

Congress General Secretary and former Haryana minister Randeep Singh Surjewala was on Sunday named chairperson of the party’s election management and coordination committee for the three-phase Bihar Assembly polls starting October 28.

Surjewala will chair the 14-member panel which has among members former Speaker Meira Kumar, former minister Subodh Kant Sahay and star campaigners for the state Shatrughan Sinha and Kirti Azad.

The panel also features CWC member Tariq Anwar, former AICC General Secretary Shakeel Ahmed and ex Haryana minister Ajay Yadav.

Surjewala’s ascent in the Congress is being closely watched by insiders since his multiple elevations in the only comprehensive party reshuffle Congress president Sonia Gandhi effected after the 2019 Lok Sabha loss recently.

Surjewala was named CWC member, General Secretary Karnataka and member of the compact panel to advise the Congress chief.

A long-time head of media department, Surjewala continues in his role as communications planner for the party, currently handling a range of responsibilities amid anticipation of the elevation of Rahul Gandhi as chief any time that suits the Congress first family.

Surjewala’s closeness to Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi has catapulted him to an envious position in the grand old party’s hierarchy where several leaders are jostling each other for space.

The former Kaithal MLA, who contested two Assembly elections at the behest of Rahul and lost, is seen as a diehard family loyalist who could well carve a place for himself in the leadership race of Haryana where former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda presently has a tight influence on elected lawmakers.

Sonia also named five other panels for Bihar polls today, including panels for publicity, media, and legal affairs.