Guwahati, February 18 Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi said on Wednesday that the first list of candidates for the upcoming assembly elections is likely to be announced by the end of this month.
His announcement came ahead of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's upcoming two-day visit to the state to screen the names of the candidates.
Addressing a press conference here, Gogoi said that the names of a total of 80 Congress candidates will be announced by the first week of March, including those in the first list.
"We aim to complete the screening process as soon as possible. We have been asked by the central leadership to ensure that the first list is out by the end of this month," Gogoi said.
By the first week of March, the names for around 80 seats will be finalised and announced, he added.
Asked about the Congress-led opposition alliance, Gogoi said that it is definitely going to happen and the party is placed well ahead of the ruling BJP in this aspect.
Congress, CPI(M), Raijor Dal, Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), CPI, CPI(ML) Liberation, Jatiya Dal-Asom (JDA) and Karbi Anglong-based All Party Hill Leaders Conference (APHLC) have joined hands to fight the assembly elections from a common platform.
AICC general secretary (in-charge of Assam) Jitendra Singh said Vadra will visit Assam on a two-day trip from Thursday to take part in a series of party meetings ahead of state assembly elections.
Vadra is the chairperson of the screening committee for the upcoming Assam assembly elections.
"She will hold a series of meetings with different office-bearers of the Congress. Besides, she will also meet the three senior AICC observers and take their opinions regarding the polls," Singh said.
Vadra will be holding separate meetings with the political affairs committee, MLAs, district presidents, frontal group heads, legislature party leader, working presidents, MPs, different cell heads and booth committee chiefs among others, he added.
Vadra's close aides Imran Masood and Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, both Lok Sabha MPs, along with Sirivella Prasad are the members of the screening committee for Assam Congress.
The Congress also appointed Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel and former Jharkhand MLA Bandhu Tirkey as senior observers for the upcoming Assam assembly elections.
The Assam Assembly elections for 126 constituencies are likely to take place in March-April this year.
Currently, the ruling BJP's strength in the assembly is 64, while its allies AGP has nine MLAs, UPPL has seven and BPF has three members. In the opposition camp, the Congress has 26 MLAs, AIUDF 15 and CPI(M) one. There is one Independent legislator as well.