Can Karnataka formula work for Congress in Rajasthan Assembly Elections?

New Delhi: The Congress party has completed holding preparatory meeting of five states including Rajasthan which are likely to go to polls later this year.

The AICC general secretary K C Venugopal has asked the party men to follow the Karnataka formula to win the elections in the state and break the record by ensuring that the Congress comes to power for second consecutive term.

He told the party leaders on Thursday that it can be done provided there is complete unity. He warned of strict action against those not maintaining discipline and speaking outside the party forum. The party also said that it will decide its candidates for the polls by the first week of September and winnability will be the only criterion for their selection.

Later Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot said that in Congress there are no groups and that it was one team and will work like that for the Assembly as well as the Lok Sabha elections. He said there was complete unity in the party.

Meanwhile Venugopal said the Congress party never announces the CM face in advance. The party will go to polls under the leadership of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, he said in reply to a question as to who would lead the poll team.

He also announced that all ministers, MLAs and leaders will go house to house to take the various schemes of the state government to the people, and the party's campaign would start from Friday.