Priyanka Gandhi arrives in Assam, launches marathon screening meet

Guwahati, Feb 19: Congress Screening Committee Chairperson and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra arrived in Assam on Thursday for a two-day visit ahead of the forthcoming Assembly elections, signalling an intensified push by the party’s central leadership in the State.

“Whenever the party’s top leadership comes in, there is enthusiasm among workers. But during large meetings, the party workers don’t get to say their things. Today, our block presidents and grassroots workers would be able to express their heartfelt things. It’s a huge responsibility Priyanka Gandhi has taken,” APCC president Gaurav Gogoi said at the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport.

Soon after landing, Gandhi offered prayers at the Kamakhya Temple before proceeding to Rajiv Bhawan, the headquarters of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) in GS Road, where she is set to lead extensive screening-related meetings.

Speaking to the press after accompanying her to the temple, Gogoi said, “After coming out of the airport, Priyanka Gandhi paid her obeisance to Maa Kamakhya. It was a spiritual atmosphere and I hope all her goals for the two-day visit come true.”

At Rajiv Bhawan, Gandhi was received amid the beats of traditional khol and taal. She was accompanied by senior party leaders, including Gogoi, Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia and AICC general secretary in-charge of Assam Jitendra Singh, among others.

At the time of filing this report, Gandhi has begun the screening meetings with deliberations expected to continue late into the night. The exercise is part of the Congress’s candidate selection process for the Assembly polls.

Gogoi further added that while he had previously handled screening responsibilities, this would be the first time Gandhi would personally dedicate long hours to hearing representatives from across organisational levels, which, he said, “reflected the seriousness of the central leadership about the Assam elections.”

On Wednesday, Gogoi had clarified at a press conference that the visit would remain strictly aligned with Gandhi’s responsibilities as chair of the screening committee and would focus entirely on internal organisational consultations.

Jitendra Singh described the initiative as the first structured screening exercise of-its-kind in Assam and indicated that Gandhi would return to the State multiple times in the run-up to the polls to assess public sentiment and strengthen coordination within the party.

The screening meetings are expected to involve members of Block Congress Committees, Zilla Congress Committees, APCC office-bearers, frontal organisations, cells and departments. Party sources indicated that the session could stretch up to 12 hours.

Gogoi has earlier stated that the party aims to complete the screening process at the earliest, with the first phase of the Congress candidates’ list likely to be released by the end of February following consultations with the central leadership.