Jairam back in high-profile Rahul group

Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh on Monday made a comeback into the Group...

Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh on Monday made a comeback into the Group to Look into Future Challenges and Opportunities, a high profile think-tank of the Congress set up last September to assist Rahul Gandhi in realising his vision for the party.

Ramesh, the convenor of the Group, was removed from the post last November reportedly because he had scheduled a meeting of the Group without consulting anybody, including Rahul.

His removal had also come in the backdrop of his outburst against Tourism Minister Ambika Soni. He had suggested that she should resign taking moral responsibility for the controversial Ram Setu affidavit.

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Ramesh has been taken back into the Group as a member. “Welcome back Mr Jairam,” Veerappa Moily, who had been appointed the chairperson of the Group after Ramesh’s removal, said as the latter arrived for the fourth meeting of the Group at the AICC headquarters here on Monday.

According to party sources, Ramesh was “unusually quiet and sheepish” during the two-hour long meeting.

The 13-member Group took stock of the party’s preparations for the Assembly elections in nine states this year. Rahul was learnt to have suggested that the party should not go into these elections in a “haphazard” manner and all preparations, including the selection of candidates, should be done well in advance.