After Karnataka victory, Congress gearing up for next Assembly polls in 5 states

New Delhi: After achieving success in the Karnataka Assembly elections, the Congress has now started preparing for Assembly polls in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram and Telangana.

The Congress has convened a meeting of the party leaders on May 26 to work on the strategies for the upcoming Assembly elections, sources in the know of things said on Monday.

A source said "the Congress does not want to waste the momentum" it has got with a thumping victory in Karnataka, where it defeated the BJP.

The party wants to ensure the preparations are started at the earliest in the next poll-bound states for a good show, the source said.

The party source said that a meeting has been called by the top leadership with the state unit chiefs, party state in-charges and top leaders of the state in the national capital.

The source said that Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and party general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal will preside over the meeting to collect the overall ground report of the party's preparation in the five poll-bound states.

Former party chief Rahul Gandhi, party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra besides other senior leaders would also attend the meeting.

The source said that during the meeting, the top leaders will also discuss the situation in Rajasthan, where party leader Sachin Pilot has been "critical" of Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government.

However, the timing of the meeting is yet to be decided.

Another source said, if the meeting does not happen on May 26, it could be rescheduled to June after Rahul Gandhi returns from his US trip.

He said that during the meeting, the state unit chiefs, in-charges, and general secretaries would be briefed by the senior leaders about the election strategy.

The source said that the state unit chiefs and the state in-charges will be asked to prepare the report of their respective states, which will be monitored from time to time.

The Congress is looking for a good show in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

The party lost power in Madhya Pradesh in March 2020 after the rebellion by Jyotiraditya Scindia, who left the party and switched to the BJP.

Ahead of the assembly polls, the Congress has been promising guarantees in Madhya Pradesh, having resemblance to what the party has delivered in Rajasthan.

The Congress on Monday also made several promises for Madhya Pradesh, taking a cue from Rajasthan, Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh.

"Gas cylinder at Rs 500, Rs 1,500 to every woman in the state (Madhya Pradesh), 100 units of free electricity and for up to 200 units half bill, loan waiver for farmers, to implement the old pension scheme. In Karnataka we fulfilled our promise, we will fulfil it in Madhya Pradesh too," the Congress said in a tweet.

In Rajasthan, the state government has announced providing cooking gas cylinders for Rs 500, whereas in Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, the Congress governments have announced to implement the old pension scheme and also waive the farmers' loans.

The Congress had announced free electricity and Rs 1,500 for every woman in Himachal Pradesh and Rs 2,000 for every woman in Karnataka.