Congress sacks Moily as media head

The criticism of Janata Dal (United) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, viewed by Congress as a possible post-poll ally, cost Congress leader Veerappa Moily dear as he was sacked as the head of media cell on Saturday. Janardan Dwivedi has replaced him.

Moily, however, sought to downplay the reports of his removal, saying he was not sacked but had relinquished the post as part of an “internal administrative arrangement”.

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"As I have been selected as a candidate from Chikkaballapur, somebody has to be in-charge of the media cell. Dwivedi was put in temporary in-charge", he said but evaded the question whether he would resume the charge after the election results.

Moily had on Friday refuted reports of Congress making overtures towards JD-U leader, and criticized Nitish Kumar saying he “thinks too much of himself and will regret staying with BJP.”

“I do not think the Congress is going to make a hero of Nitish Kumar. We are not reaching out to him. If he wants to be in the communal cauldron, it’s up to him,” he said.

It is to note here that AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi had recently made overtures towards key NDA ally JD-U leader Nitish Kumar and Third Front partner TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu for doing good works in their respective states. The praiseworthy remarks were viewed as Congress’ bid to make possible post-poll alliance with them.

The Congress leadership in Bihar who is trying to woo JD-U leader for an alliance after the election has asked the party high command to snap all ties with RJD.

Moily had also irked Lalu Prasad yesterday amid reports that he was skipping the Cabinet meeting, saying he was responsible for the widening rift between Congress and RJD.

Ashwini Kumar is another Congress leader who has been asked during the last phase of elections to step down as the party’s spokesperson for making overstatement. Ashwini Kumar had said that Congress would make alliance with Telugu Desam Party (TDP).