Chandigarh: Congress has appointed former IAS officer Kannan Gopinathan as chairperson of its election war room in Punjab, stepping up preparations for the 2027 Assembly elections.The appointment was approved by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, with party general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal issuing the order on Saturday. It will take effect immediately.Gopinathan, a former IAS officer and social activist, came into the spotlight in 2019 when he resigned from the administrative service in protest against communication restrictions and curbs on civil liberties in Jammu & Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370. He subsequently remained active on issues related to democratic rights and civil liberties and joined Congress last year.The election war room will play a key role in planning the campaign, coordinating party leaders and workers, monitoring electoral issues and implementing the party’s strategy on the ground.
