NEW DELHI : The Congress on January 3 appointed senior party leader and Member of Parliament Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as the Chairperson of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee’s screening committee, signalling a renewed organisational push ahead of the 2026 Assam Assembly elections. The appointment marks Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s first major organisational responsibility since she stepped down as the All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in charge of Uttar Pradesh.

As chairperson of the screening committee, she will oversee the crucial task of shortlisting candidates for the Assam elections, a process that is expected to shape the party’s electoral strategy in the politically significant northeastern state.

The AICC simultaneously announced the formation of screening committees for other states and Union Territories going to polls. Former Rajya Sabha member Madhusudan Mistry has been named chairperson of the Kerala screening committee, while former Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister T.S. Singh Deo will head the screening committees for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Senior Congress leader B.K. Hariprasad has been appointed chairperson of the screening committee for West Bengal. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s elevation to the Assam role is being viewed within party circles as a strategic move as the Congress seeks to regain lost ground in the Northeast.

Assam is emerging as a key electoral battleground, with the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) aiming for a third consecutive term in the state. Assam will elect all 126 members of the Legislative Assembly in 2026, with the current assembly’s term set to end on May 20, 2026.

The Election Commission of India is expected to announce the poll schedule in the coming months, with elections likely to be held around March-April 2026, possibly in multiple phases. The main contest is expected to be between the BJP-led NDA and the Congress, alongside other opposition parties and regional players such as the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF).

With Priyanka Gandhi Vadra now leading the candidate screening process, the Congress is expected to place renewed emphasis on candidate selection, social representation and organisational revival as it prepares for a high-stakes electoral battle in Assam.

Promotional | North East Integration Rally