Jairam Ramesh to head the communication wing of Congress

The elevation of Ramesh, who played key roles in election management for the past many years, comes after he was elected for a fresh term in Rajya Sabha from Karnataka earlier this month.

Jairam Ramesh, Congress’s Rajya Sabha chief whip, was on Thursday appointed as the party’s new communications chief with an expanded mandate to handle publicity, digital and social media of the grand old party.

Jairam Ramesh (HT file)

Congress president Sonia Gandhi has appointed Ramesh as the “AICC general secretary in-charge of communications, publicity and media, including social and digital media, with immediate effect”, according to a communication signed by party’s general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal.

The elevation of Ramesh, who played key roles in election management for the past many years, comes after he was elected for a fresh term in Rajya Sabha from Karnataka earlier this month. During the Congress-led UPA governments, Ramesh held important portfolios including environment and rural development.

Randeep Surjewala, the current general secretary in charge of communication, will continue to handle the party affairs in Karnataka.

A Congress leader requesting anonymity said Ramesh’s appointment “is part of a major organisational revamp expected soon”.