Ahead of the Punjab assembly elections early next year, the Congress appointed a three member screening committee.
It will be headed by senior Congress leader Ajay Maken and will include Chandan Yadav, secretary in-charge of Chhattisgarh and Krishna Allavaru, in-charge of Indian Youth Congress.
The committee has its work cut out in a deeply faction ridden state. The members will have to maintain a delicate balance between the caste equations and regional representations. Exit of farmer Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, unpredictability of the State unit chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and presence of a new Chief Minister Charanjeet Singh Channi further complicates the situation. The Congress is the main contender and as of now it is a Congress versus all scenario that is emerging from the State. In a election such as this where in all likelihood it will be a close contest, the ticket selection becomes an all important task.
The party has carefully picked up the three members, Mr. Maken who belongs to the Punjabi community, was at the forefront of fire fighting in Rajasthan. Mr. Yadav was in the screening committee for Chattisgarh, the only State where Congress is comfortably placed. Mr. Allavaru had worked on the 2017 assembly elections in Punjab and is well versed with the region.
