Surjewala to head Cong communications unit

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 5

Change of guard in the Congress continued today with four-term Haryana legislator and party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala being installed as head of the crucial communications department.

Surjewala replaced Ajay Makan, former general secretary in charge of the department, who was recently appointed president of the Delhi Congress Committee.

The appointment of 48-year-old Surjewala is temporary with a Congress communication in this respect saying, “He has been appointed in charge of the communications department till further notification.”

Makan was holding charge of the department as general secretary, a top position in the Congress organisation with party sources not ruling out Surjewala’s promotion as general secretary controlling the media. “My appointment will continue till further reconstitution of the Congress. We plan to strengthen the department and can do with more hands,” Surjewala said hinting at more appointments of Congress spokespersons.

Former minister in the Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led Congress government in Haryana, Surjewala today became the youngest head of the Congress’s media unit constituted in 1999. The unit has been headed by the likes of Shivraj Patil, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ambika Soni, Girija Vyas, Veerappa Moily and Janardan Dwivedi.