Political News: Punjab Polls: Ajay Maken to Lead Congress Screening Panel, Sunil Jakhar Campaign Committee

New Delhi: The Congress on Monday announced various party panels for the Punjab assembly polls, making Ajay Maken the head of the committee for screening prospective candidates and appointing former state unit president Sunil Jakhar as the campaign committee chief. Senior party leader Ambika Soni will chair the party’s coordination committee and another former state unit chief and Rajya Sabha member, Partap Singh Bajwa, will be the chairman of the manifesto committee.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi approved the committees on Monday. Punjab, where the Congress is seeking to retain power, will go to assembly polls early next year.

Chandan Yadav and Krishna Allavaru will be members of the party’s screening committee. The panel will screen prospective candidates and make its recommendations to the party high command. The party’s candidates will be finalised by its central election committee chaired by Sonia Gandhi.

Other members of the screening committee will be AICC in-charge for the state Harish Chaudhary, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, state unit chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, campaign committee chairman Sunil Jakhar, and AICC secretaries for the state.