Chandigarh: With its eyes set on the 2027 Punjab assembly elections, the Congress has taken inspiration from national rival BJP’s election playbook of booth-level management. In an emulation of the saffron party’s ‘Panna Pramukh’ strategy, the Congress has decided to appoint ‘booth sevaks’ across the state.The Congress, which has been positioning itself as the principal challenger to the AAP govt, will appoint sevaks at every booth, with each being assigned the responsibility of managing one page of the voter list containing around 30 voters. BJP had introduced the ‘Panna Pramukh’ system in the 2007 Gujarat assembly elections and later implemented it nationally during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.The structure is now being adopted by the Congress to strengthen ground-level voter outreach and mobilisation. Booth sevaks will directly connect with voters assigned to them and mobilise them during elections. Punjab Pradesh Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring said the party had decided to appoint booth sevaks as part of a detailed strategy to engage directly with voters at the grassroots and strengthen the organisation booth by booth across Punjab. The party has also decided to install nameplates outside the homes of booth sevaks to give them recognition and help voters identify their local point of contact. A strategy is also being prepared to reach out to different voter groups and ensure mobilisation on polling day. All booth-level activities will be monitored and coordinated through a central control room of the All India Congress Committee (AICC).The exercise also includes the formation of committees between the booth and block levels to improve communication, coordination and organisational efficiency.The decision was taken during a day-long brainstorming session last week chaired by AICC Punjab general secretary in-charge Bhupesh Baghel and attended by senior leaders from across the state. Instructions were issued to ensure the party penetrated every booth and connected directly with people.During the meeting, special emphasis was also laid on the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to ensure organisational preparedness and effective booth-level coordination. Senior leaders stressed that workers must ensure no genuine voter’s name is wrongly deleted from the rolls.The Punjab Congress is also planning public meetings and yatras across all 117 assembly constituencies to strengthen direct engagement with people and reinforce the party’s grassroots presence, a functionary who attended the meeting said.The primary objective of these programmes will be cadre activation, energising workers and rebuilding organisational strength. The activities are also expected to help the leadership gather public feedback and understand voters’ concerns directly.Sources said the party high command has directed the Punjab leadership to aggressively raise issues such as the drug menace and deteriorating law and order.The proposed yatra will be conducted in three phases to ensure outreach across every region of Punjab. Senior Congress leaders are expected to spearhead the campaign and lead programmes in multiple constituencies ahead of the elections.BoxMahila Cong unit reconstitutedThe All India Mahila Congress has also constituted the Punjab Pradesh Mahila Congress executive and advisory committee as part of the party’s organisational restructuring exercise in Punjab. Baljeet Kaur has been appointed working president of the Punjab unit. The advisory committee includes Mamta Dutta, Gursharan Kaur Randhawa, Surabhi Verma, Harismaran Bajaj and Dr Jasleen Sethi. Amandeep Kaur Brar, Santosh Rani and Vidya Gill have been appointed vice-presidents.
