The Hindu : Sonia puts Kamal Nath in charge of T.N., Pondy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, May 03, 2003

National

National

Sonia puts Kamal Nath in charge of T.N., Pondy

By Javed M. Ansari

NEW DELHI MAY 2. In today's reshuffle of the AICC team, the Congress president, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi put Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry under the charge of Kamal Nath, while Chennithala will look after Goa, Daman and Diu, Lakhswadeep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Vora will continue as treasurer, while Oscar fernandes will look after the north eastern States and AICC affairs, while Mohsina Kidwai will be in charge of Punjab, Assam and Chandigarh, apart from her other duties. Mrs. Soni will be in charge of Rajasthan, MP and J&K. Manishankar Aiyer has been made chairperson of the department of policy, planning and evaluation (DEPCO) and the political training department.

The Congress president has sought to give a professional touch to the various departments in the AICC by assigning them to people with expertise.

The former Foreign Secretary, J.N. Dixit has been made vice-chairman of the foreign affairs department, while Arjun Sengupta has been made his counterpart in the economic affairs department. Jyotiraditya Scindia has also been made a member of the department, while Jairam Ramesh will continue to be its secretary. He has also been elevated as an AICC secretary.

Mrs. Gandhi in effecting her latest reshuffle has also sought to address the need for political inputs, by reviving the political affairs committee, and by putting CWC members in charge of the party in the States. Ghulam Nabi Azad as CWC member will hold charge of HP, Uttaranchal and Andhra Pradesh.

The PAC was instituted during Rajiv Gandhi's time but discontinued after him. The 12-member PAC comprises Mannmohan Singh, Shivraj Patil, Arjun Singh, Pranab Mukherjee, Natwar Singh, Karan Singh, Buta Singh, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Jaipal Reddy, Ambica Soni and Ahamad Patel.

The committee will be headed by Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and will address itself to the political situation and issues as they develop.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National