Congress forms manifesto committee for 2024 Lok Sabha polls; to be headed by P Chidambaram

New Delhi: Congress on Friday night announced a 16-member committee headed by senior Rajya Sabha MP and former Finance Minister P Chidambaram and having Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah among members to draft the party's manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The announcement comes a day after the Congress Working Committee sounded the election bugle by deciding to finalise candidates at the earliest by forming a Screening Committee by this month and a manifesto committee in a "one or two days".

While Chidambaram is named the Chairman, former Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister TS Singhdeo has been chosen as the convenor, which also has Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as a member.

Siddaramaiah is the only Chief Minister who is in the panel.

This is the first time the Congress has announced a panel for drafting the manifesto for Lok Sabha elections this early.

Some of the members Chidambaram, Ramesh and Sharma have been part of the panel in its earlier editions. Sources said the manifesto committee is likely to seek suggestions from the public.

Other members include Congress Working Committee members Anand Sharma, Shashi Tharoor Jairam Ramesh (Congress General Secretary -- Communications) and Gaikhangam Gangmei, who is a former Manipur Deputy Chief Minister.

The panel also include Congress Lok Sabha Deputy Leader Gaurav Gogoi, All India Professional Congress head Praveen Chakravarty, K Raju (National Coordinator of SC, ST, OBC and Minorities Department), Minority Department head Imran Pratapgarhi, Omkar Singh Markam (Madhya Pradesh MLA), Ranjeet Ranjan (Rajya Sabha MP), Jignesh Mevani (Gujarat MLA) and AICC Secretary (Administration) and Coordinator in party president's office Gurdeep Sappal.