The Aryavarth Express
New Delhi:
The All India Congress Committee (AICC) on Saturday announced the formation of screening committees for several poll-bound states ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, appointing Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as the Chairperson of the Assam Congress Screening Committee.
According to the AICC, the Assam committee will include Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, Imran Masood, and Dr. Sirivella Prasad as members. The screening committee will play a key role in finalising candidates for the upcoming Assembly polls.
In other appointments, Madhusudan Mistry has been named Chairperson of the Kerala screening committee, while T.S. Singh Deo will head the screening committee for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. B.K. Hariprasad has been appointed as the Chairperson of the West Bengal screening committee.
The Congress party has begun organisational preparations in states heading to elections in 2026, aiming to strengthen its campaign and improve electoral performance. Assam is currently governed by the BJP following its victory in the last Assembly elections.
Earlier, Assam Congress President Gaurav Gogoi criticised the BJP-led government under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, alleging the absence of a long-term, visionary development plan. Addressing a press conference in Tinsukia, Gogoi said the government had focused mainly on welfare schemes without ensuring sustainable economic empowerment.
He claimed that while the state government announced financial assistance of ₹1,500 for temple attendants, no effective measures had been taken to make sattras economically self-reliant. Gogoi asserted that welfare schemes alone were insufficient and that genuine development required policies aimed at economic self-sufficiency.
Stating that programmes like Arunodoi exist across several states, Gogoi said Assam needed initiatives that directly address the economic challenges faced by ordinary citizens. He added that during previous Congress governments, emphasis was placed on economic empowerment, including support for sattras, many of which continue to sustain themselves independently.
Gogoi further said that if Congress returns to power, the party would introduce new schemes focused on real empowerment of women and marginalised sections, stressing that meaningful development must be rooted in addressing people’s actual needs.
