By Alok Mathur
Soon after appointing the state election committee and observers for the assembly elections in Rajatshan, the ruling Congress has appointed Screening Committee also for selection of candidates. Gaurav Gogoi, son of former Assam chief minister has been made the chairman of the screening committee while all senior leaders including Ashok Gehlot, C P Joshi, Govind Singh Dotasara, Saching Pilot and incharge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa along with co incharge Quazi Nizamuddin, Virendra Rathore and Amrita Dhawan have been given place in the screening committee.
Inclusion of Pilot
If naming Pilot in the screening committee is any indication then it seems his opinion and recommendation will be considered in candidate's selection. After denying any change in government leadership, the party high command doesn't want to lose the elections in the state by ignoring any senior leader. Hence Pilot's name has been included to pacify him. The president of committee Gogoi is said to be close to Rahul Gandhi. Pilot, who is a second generation Congree leader also has a good equation with young Gogoi, who also represents the second generation in political sphere.
More Committee likely to be announced soon
It seems Congress is well on its way to announce its candidates in the first week of September, as claimed by All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary K C Venugopal in the first week of July. The party has announced two most important committees – State Election Committee and Screening Committee. The party will soon announce other committees also which includes campaign committee, coordination committee, publicity and publication committee, media and communications committee, transport and accommodation committee, protocol committee and discipline committee.
Alok Mathur is a law graduate. Journalism is his first love which he now pursues in the latter half of his career. Controversies and crime are the right triggers for him.
