Madhusudan Mistry to head Congress screening panel for Karnataka polls

NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader Madhusudan Mistry will head the party s screening committee for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi today approved his name while constituting the screening panel for the crucial poll.

Party MPs Tamradhwaj Sahu and Gaurav Gogoi will be members of the panel which will also comprise of party general secretary in-charge for Karnataka K C Venugopal and state unit chief G Parameshwara as ex officio members.

Karnataka is the only major state where the Congress is in power at present and retaining it is crucial for the party morale ahead of next year s general elections.

A recent pre-poll tie up between the JDS and BSP has queered the pitch in the state where Congress is fighting incumbency under Chief Minister Siddharamaiah.

Mr Gandhi has already held two yatras in the state as part of his campaign plan in the southern state.

The assembly election in Karnataka is likely to take place in April-May.

IANS