Congress sets up core committee, poll panels for Chhattisgarh assembly polls

New Delhi: The Congress on Monday constituted election committees for Chhattisgarh assembly polls, with Kumari Selja appointed convener of the Core Committee and Charan Dass Mahant chairperson of the Election Campaign Committee.

Other members of the seven-member Core Committee are Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, President of Chhattisgarh Congress Deepak Baij, Deputy Chief Minister T S Singh Deo, Tamradhwaj Sahu and Shiv Kumar Sahariya.

"Congress president has approved the proposal for the constitution of the committees for ensuing assembly elections in Chhattisgarh with immediate effect," an official communication from the party said.

The 74-member Election Campaign Committee will have chief minister Baghel, his deputy Deo, Tamradhwaj Sahu, Ravinder Chaubey, Mohd Akbar, Shiv Kumar Dahariya, Kawaki Lakhma, Premsai Singh Tekam and Anila Bhendiya.

Chhattisgarh ministers Mohan Markam and Umesh Patel, besides Rajya Sabha members Rajeev Shukla, Ranjeet Ranjan, Phulo Devi Netam and K T S Tulsi are also part of the Committee.

The party also set up a 15-member Communications Committee with Ravindra Choubey as its chairperson and Rajesh Tiwari and Vinod Verma as its conveners while Sushil Anand Shukla will be its coordinator.

The party also set up a 25-member Protocol Committee with Amarjeet Bhagat as its chairperson, Shiv Singh Thakur as its convener and Ajay Sahu as cooordinator.

Chhattisgarh assembly elections are slated later this year with the ruling Congress seeking to retain power for the second time in a row.