The Indian National Congress on Wednesday appointed a fresh set of observers for Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry as it accelerates preparations for the Assembly elections scheduled in these states and the Union Territory in 2026.
Assam and West Bengal are expected to go to the polls in March–April 2026, while Kerala is likely to vote in April. Tamil Nadu and Puducherry are expected to hold Assembly elections in April–May next year.
According to the list released by the party, former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel and Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar have been appointed as observers for Assam, along with Bandhu Tirkey. In a move signalling a stronger organisational focus, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has been named head of the screening committee for the state.
For Kerala, the party has appointed Sachin Pilot, K J George, Imran Pratapgarhi and Kanhaiya Kumar as observers, indicating an emphasis on reviving the party’s grassroots presence ahead of the crucial contest.
In Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, senior leaders Mukul Wasnik, Uttam Kumar Reddy and Qazi Mohammad Nizamuddin will oversee organisational and electoral preparations.
For West Bengal, the Congress has named Sudip Roy Barman, Shakeel Ahmad Khan and Prakash Joshi as observers, as the party looks to recalibrate its strategy in a state where it has struggled to regain political ground.
The appointments underline the Congress leadership’s intent to intensify coordination, candidate selection and campaign planning well ahead of the 2026 elections, with observers expected to play a key role in strengthening state units and alliance management.
