NEW DELHI: Oommen Chandy will be the chairman of the Congress Monitoring Committee in the assembly polls. The decision was taken at the talks held between senior leaders of Kerala in connection with the assembly polls. The high command has entrusted Chandy with the task of formulating election strategies.

The meeting was presided over by organisational general secretary K C Venugopal. Tariq Anwar in charge of Kerala took part in the talks. The assessment was that Chandy’s inactivity in the local body polls affected the party’s chances. The high command reviewed that Chandy’s active functioning is an inevitable factor. Based on that, he was given the charge.

Apart from Chandy, Ramesh Chennithala, Tariq Anwar, Mullappally Ramachandran, K Muraleedharan, K C Venugopal, K Sudhakaran, Kodikunnil Suresh and V M Sudheeran are the members of the panel. Allied parties including Muslim League demanded Chandy’s active participation in the polls.

The high command has asked leaders to work together without factionalism as it was imperative for the congress to rule Kerala this time. Candidates with public relations and candidates who have chances to win will be considered and women, youth will be given due importance. The high command will also ask leaders to ensure the balance of the community and to ensure the support of the community organizations that have traditionally sided with the Congress.