Priyanka Gandhi to lead candidate screening meetings in Assam from February 18

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will visit Assam on a two-day tour from February 18 to review preparations for the upcoming Assembly elections, with a focus on finalising candidates and strengthening the party’s organisational network.

The Congress general secretary, who heads the party’s screening committee for the Assam polls, is scheduled to hold back-to-back meetings with senior leaders and grassroots functionaries. Discussions will include consultations with the political affairs committee, MLAs, district presidents, frontal organisation heads, working presidents, Members of Parliament, legislature party leaders, cell heads and booth-level coordinators.

Party sources said the visit is aimed at accelerating the candidate selection process and ensuring coordination between the state unit and the central leadership ahead of the elections expected in March–April for the 126-member Assembly.

Members of the screening committee include Lok Sabha MPs Imran Masood and Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, along with Sirivella Prasad.

The Congress is exploring an alliance with other opposition parties as it attempts to consolidate anti-incumbency votes against the ruling coalition. At present, the Bharatiya Janata Party holds 64 seats in the Assembly. Its allies — Asom Gana Parishad with nine MLAs, United People's Party Liberal with seven, and Bodoland People's Front with three — add to its majority.

On the opposition benches, the Indian National Congress has 26 legislators, the All India United Democratic Front has 15, and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has one member. There is also one Independent MLA.

Vadra is expected to return to Delhi on the evening of February 19.