Avinash Pandey to head Cong's screening panel for Bihar polls

To be chaired by Avinash Pandey, the panel will shortlist the candidates and recommend their names to the party's central election committee headed by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. Pandey was recently replaced as general secretary in-charge for Rajasthan by Ajay Maken after a revolt by 19 MLAs there including Sachin Pilot.

The Congress on Wednesday set up a committee to screen candidates for the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar. To be chaired by Avinash Pandey, the panel will shortlist the candidates and recommend their names to the party's central election committee headed by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.

Pandey was recently replaced as general secretary in-charge for Rajasthan by Ajay Maken after a revolt by 19 MLAs there including Sachin Pilot. The panel will have Delhi leader Devender Yadav and Qazi Nizamuddin as its members.

Bihar Congress in-charge Shaktisinh Gohil and PCC chief Madan Mohan Kya and CLP leader in Bihar Sadanand Singh will be ex-officio members of the panel. Bihar assembly elections are slated in October-November.