Congress has relieved its veteran leader Randeep Surjewala from the position of All India Congress Committee (AICC) Communications In-Charge and appointed Jairam Ramesh for the post. As per an official statement released by the grand old party, Ramesh has been appointed as AICC General Secretary In-charge of Communication, Publicity and Media, including social and digital media.
The statement also stated that Surjewala will continue as General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka.
"Shri Randeep Surjewala has been thankfully relieved from his current responsibility as General Secretary In-charge, Communication. He will continue as General Secretary In-charge, Karnataka," the statement read.
Surjewala held the position for over 7 years after he was made In-charge of the AICC communication department in March 2015, a post which fell vacant after Ajay Maken was appointed Delhi Congress president.
A former Haryana minister, Surjewala bagged had then bagged the position pipping several senior Congress leaders who were lobbying to become the chairman of the department.
Meanwhile, Jairam Ramesh, who handled environment ministry in the Congress-led UPA, was widely specualted to take over as Congress media chief. According to reports, he has been formulating party's communication strategies from behind the stage.
The 68-year-old politician is also the chief whip of the Congress in Rajya Sabha and was re-elected to the Upper House from Karnataka in the just concluded biennial elections.