Congress sets up three key panels, 9-member core committee for 2019 polls

New Delhi: Congress President Rahul Gandhi has constituted a nine-member "core committee" to oversee the party's preparations for general elections next year. The Congress chief has also formed a manifesto committee, with 19 members, and a publicity committee, with 13 members.

The Congress Core Group Committee will include senior leaders AK Antony, Ghulam Nabi Azad, P Chidambaram, Ashok Gehlot, Mallikarjun Kharge, Ahmed Patel, Jairam Ramesh, Randeep Surjewala and KC Venugopal, a press statement from the party said.

A 19-member Manifesto Committee has been set up to come out with the party's manifesto for the general elections.

Gandhi also formed a committee comprising 19 top party leaders who will look after the party's publicity during the elections.

Announcing the setting up of the committees, party General Secretary Ashok Gehlot said with the constitution of the committees, the party will go into election mode and start the work of putting up a manifesto and draw strategy for publicity and coordination.