New Delhi, Jun 10 (IANS): With organisational changes on the cards, the Congress has decided to give Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar additional responsibilities ahead of the crucial Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections slated to be held this year.

According to party leaders, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is all set to address her first public meeting in Jabalpur on May 12.

A party source said that to get the things in order to kick off the first big public meeting in the state, Congress has sent Shivakumar, who is also known as the party's 'troubleshooter' to the poll-bound state.

The source said that Shivakumar played a key role in ensuring victory for the party in Karnataka, where he along with Siddaramaiah worked together and brought Congress back to power with a thumping majority.

Looking at the organisational skills and handling of the party workers, Shivakumar is likely to get more responsibility in Madhya Pradesh, where Congress lost the power in March 2020 after a rebellion from several MLAs close to Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia after they ditched the party and joined the BJP, the source added.

Calling Shivakumar an "asset" for the Congress, the source saud he knows how to handle the party workers and also listens to their grievances and sorts it out.

"Thus his leadership will play a crucial part in the state, where the Congress is looking to make a comeback in the elections this year."

The election for the 230-member Madhya Pradesh Assembly will take place later this year, where the Congress is preparing very hard and has also announced several schemes for the people if voted to power.