Rahul to head Congress Coordination panel for 2014 LS poll

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In a move signaling his larger role in the party, Rahul Gandhi was on Thursday made the head of the Congress Coordinaton Committee for 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Senior leaders Ahmed Patel, Janardan Dwivedi, Digvijay Singh, Madhusudan Mistry and Jairam Ramesh are the members of the Election Coordination Committee headed by Gandhi, AICC General Secretary Janardan Dwivedi announced.

He also announced the setting up of three Sub-Groups, including one on the key issue of pre-poll alliances, which will be headed by senior leader A K Antony.

The Defence Minister is also chairing the Sub-Group on manifesto and government programmes while Digvijay Singh heads the Communication and Publicity Sub-Group.

"As announced by Congress President Sonia Gandhi in the Sanvad Baithak at Surajkund, she has constituted an Election Coordination Committee and three Sub-Groups keeping in view the Lok Sabha elections to be held in 2014", Dwivedi, who is also AICC Media Department Chairperson, said.

The move to make 42-year-old Rahul Gandhi head of the Election Coordination Committee is indicative of his growing profile in the party ahead of 2014 Lok Sabha poll and is being seen as a precursor to his projection as the party's face in the coming electoral battle.