(L-R) Bhupesh Baghel, Ashok Gehlot
Credit: PTI Photos
New Delhi: As Maharashtra gets into election mode, Congress on Tuesday named 11 senior leaders, including Karnataka leaders Dr G Parameshwara, MB Patil and Syed Naseer Hussain, as senior observers and two veterans Mukul Wasnik and Avinash Pande as State Election Senior Coordinators.
The announcement came less than hour before the Election Commission's announcement of poll schedule for the two states.
The party also appointed senior leaders Tariq Anwar, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Bhatti Vikramarka, Telangana Deputy Chief Minister, as senior observers for Jharkhand Assembly elections.
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In what is seen as a proactive measure to steer electioneering in Maharashtra following the Haryana debacle, the 11 senior observers have been given six regions to monitor electioneering of the party, starting from candidate selection, campaigning, managing castes and communities, rebellion and factionalism.
Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Parameshwara have been assigned Mumbai and Konkan region while Vidarbha region will be handled by former Chief Ministers Bhupesh Baghel (Chhattisgarh) and Charanjit Singh Channi (Punjab) and Madhya Pradesh MLA and former minister Umang Singhar.
Former Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot and senior Telangana minister Uttam Kumar Reddy have been deputed to Marathwada region while former Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister TS Singhdeo and senior Karnataka minister Patil have been assigned Western Maharashtra.
Senior Rajya Sabha MP Hussain and senior Telangana minister D Anasuya Seethakka have been asked to look after North Maharashtra.
Senior leaders Wasnik and Pande have been appointed State Election Senior Coordinators.
Learning lessons from the Haryana debacle, Congress is having a relook at its strategy for the Maharashtra Assembly elections by evaluating caste combinations and taking steps to reach out to communities while ensuring that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) stay united.