Congress forms committees for Bihar polls; Surjewala named chairman of key panel

The Congress on Sunday formed various panels for the upcoming Bihar assembly polls with party general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala named chairman of the election management and coordination committee.

Mohan Prakash was made the convenor of the 14-member election management and coordination committee. The panel includes senior leaders like Meira Kumar, Tariq Anwar, Shatrughan Sinha, Kirti Azad, Shakeel Ahmed and Sanjay Nirupam.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi also approved the setting up of the publicity committee, media coordination committee, public meeting and logistics committee, legal committee and office management committee for the Bihar elections, a party statement said.

Subodh Kumar has been appointed the convenor of the publicity committee, while Jaeya Mishra was named the co-convenor of the panel.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera has been named the chairman of the media coordination committee for the polls, while Prem Chand Mishra will be the convenor and Rajesh Rathor co-convenor of the panel.

Brijesh Kumar Munan has been appointed convenor of the public meeting and logistics committee, while Varun Chopra has been named the chairman of the legal committee.

The party's office management committee includes the likes of Ashok Kumar and Kaukab Quadri.

The Congress is contesting the Bihar assembly polls as part of the Grand Alliance. Under a seat-sharing formula for the upcoming assembly polls, the Congress will contest 70 of a total 243 seats.

The Bihar assembly polls will be held in three phases on October 28, November 3 and November 7, and the counting of votes will take place on November 10.