Bengaluru: The Congress party in the state has decided to begin preparing for the 2018 Assembly elections by identifying suitable candidates.

The decision was taken at the state Congress coordination committee meeting chaired by AICC General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka, Digvijaya Singh.

The committee held its first meeting after it was re-constituted recently and comprised of 28 members including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, KPCC president G Parameshwara, working president Dinesh Gundu Rao, Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and former chief ministers and senior leaders.

Apart from short listing names, the party has also planned on launching a membership campaign from October 2. A public programme will also be held to educate people regarding the ‘achievements’ of the state government.

In the meantime, sources have said that the committee had also decided on revamping the district and the block Congress committees for which youth would be priority.