Cong appoints Gehlot as senior observer for Gujarat polls; Pilot to be observer for HP election

The Congress on Tuesday appointed Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel as senior observers for the upcoming assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh respectively.

While T S Singh Deo and Milind Deora have been appointed observers for Gujarat polls, Sachin Pilot and Partap Singh Bajwa would be observers for the Himachal Pradesh Assembly election, a party statement issued by K C Venugopal said.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi has appointed Gehlot as senior observer for Gujarat polls and Baghel for Himachal Pradesh polls, it said.

Assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh are likely to be held later this year.

The Congress is looking to wrest power from the BJP in both states.

In the last round of Assembly elections, the party lost Punjab to AAP and gave a dismal performance in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur, with the BJP retaining power in the four states.