The Hindu Business Line : Moily removed as AICC media head

NEW DELHI: Mr M Veerappa Moily, who launched a surprise attack on JD(U) leader Mr Nitish Kumar, has been abruptly removed as chairman of the Congress media department. He has been replaced by AICC General Secretary Mr Janardan Dwivedi, who had been holdi ng the charge earlier, party sources said on Saturday.

The removal of Mr Moily is believed to be due to the displeasure of the party high command over his remarks against the Bihar Chief Minister, who was sought to be wooed by party leader Mr Rahul Gandhi.

Mr Moily had yesterday said that Congress is not going to “make a hero” of Nitish Kumar. “I do not think Congress is going to make a hero of Nitish Kumar, the manner in which he has aligned with BJP and is carrying on...that kind of pollution of his secu lar credentials with the communal,” Mr Moily had said.

When asked about the party's decision to relieve him of his charge as AICC media head, Mr Moily, who is in Bangalore, merely said that he had given the charge to Mr Dwivedi as he would be away in Karnataka till May 17.

Mr Moily is contesting elections from Chikkballapur in Karnataka. In a flip-flop yesterday, the AICC media head had first attacked Railway Minister Mr Lalu Prasad and LJP Chief Mr Ramvilas Paswan in the wake of reports that they were boycotting the meeti ng of the union cabinet but later softened to say that they were part of the UPA and would be back in a UPA government. - PTI

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