Congress appoints Shivakumar, Baghel, Tirkey as senior observers for Assam polls

Guwahati, Jan 7 (PTI) The Congress on Wednesday appointed Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel and former Jharkhand MLA Bandhu Tirkey as the party's senior observers for the upcoming Assam assembly elections.

In a statement, All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal announced teams of senior observers for the five states and Union Territories — Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry — going to polls in the first half of this year.

The announcement comes close on the heels of appointing Lok Sabha MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as the chairperson of the screening committee for Assam polls.

Shivakumar, Baghel and Tirkey are considered to be close aides of Vadra, who is also the AICC general secretary.

Assam elections to 126 constituencies are likely to take place in March-April.

Last month, the Congress, CPI(M), Raijor Dal, Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), CPI, CPI(ML) Liberation, Jatiya Dal-Asom (JDA) and the Karbi Anglong-based All Party Hill Leaders Conference (APHLC) announced an alliance to jointly contest the polls.

Presently, the ruling BJP's strength in the 126-member Assam Assembly is 64, while its allies AGP has nine MLAs, UPPL has seven and BPF has three members.

In the opposition camp, the Congress' strength is 26, AIUDF has 15 members and CPI(M) has one MLA. There is an Independent legislator also. PTI TR TR MNB