Former IAS officer-turned-Congress leader Mr. K Raju has been appointed as the new Jharkhand in-charge of the Congress party, replacing Mr. Ghulam Ahmed Mir. The announcement was made by AICC president Mr. Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday night.
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The reshuffle was part of a broader organizational restructuring, with in-charges of nearly ten states being reassigned following the party’s recent electoral setbacks. Despite its losses in some regions, Congress remains part of the JMM-led coalition government in Jharkhand after the state assembly elections held in November last year.
Mr. Raju, currently serving as the national coordinator of Congress’s SC-ST-OBC-Minorities department, hails from Hyderabad. Known for his close ties with Mr. Rahul Gandhi, he joined the Congress in 2013 after a distinguished bureaucratic career. He played a key role in drafting significant legislation such as MGNREGA, the Right to Information Act, the Right to Education Act, and the Food Security Bill.
Speaking on the appointment, the state committee’s media chairman, Mr. Satish Paul Munjini, said, “Mr. Raju visited Jharkhand multiple times during last year’s elections. His organizational experience will greatly help in strengthening the party’s grassroots network in the state. We are awaiting official communication on when he will take charge.”
Outgoing Jharkhand in-charge Mr. Mir had assumed the role in December 2023. Under his leadership, Congress secured 16 assembly seats in the 2024 state elections and won two Lok Sabha seats in the general elections, marking one of the party’s best performances since Jharkhand’s formation in 2000.
A party insider suggested that the reshuffle was strategic, stating, “Apart from Jharkhand, Mr. Mir was also handling West Bengal and serves as the Congress legislative party leader in Jammu & Kashmir. The party might be looking to position him for a more prominent role in J&K.”
Additionally, the Congress is in the process of reconstituting the Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee (JPCC), which is currently non-functional. The appointment of new district presidents, a statewide membership drive from April, and other organizational revamps are in the pipeline. “Once the new in-charge assumes office, these efforts will gain momentum,” the insider added.
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