Congress appoints former MP Pawan Kumar Bansal as AICC treasurer after Ahmed Patel's demise
A spokesperson for the AICC, Pawan Kumar Bansal is also a four-time Lok Sabha and one-term Rajya Sabha MP who gained prominence within his party during his tenure as president of the Indian Youth Congress' Punjab unit president.
Congress on Saturday appointed former Rajya Sabha MP Pawan Kumar Bansal as the interim treasurer of the All India Congress Committee (AICC). The post fell vacant after the sudden demise of veteran Congressman and sitting Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat, Ahmed Patel earlier this month.
A four-time Lok Sabha MP from Chandigarh, Pawan Kumar Bansal also served one term as a Rajya Sabha MP for Punjab. In addition, Pawan Kumar Bansal has also served as a national spokesperson of the AICC and chairman of the party's research & reference cell in the past.
Who is Pawan Kumar Bansal?
Aged 72, Bansal handled the Minister of State (MoS) portfolio in Parliamentary Affairs, Finance and Water resources ministries during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's tenure. He was made the Railways Minister in UPA-2.
However, Pawan Kumar Bansal resigned from the post in 2013 after his nephew was accused in a bribery case.
Towards the beginning of his political career, Pawan Kumar Bansal entered the limelight when he was appointed president of the Punjab unit of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC). His appointment to the top job comes at a time when Congress is looking to challenge not just the BJP but other Opposition parties in the upcoming Assembly elections.
Shocked at d most untimely demise of Sh. Ahmad Patel.His contribution to public life is immense.A personal loss to his countless number of colleagues.May Allah grant eternal peace to departed noble soul & strength to d family to bear d loss with fortitude.@mfaisalpatel @INCIndia — Pawan Kumar Bansal (@pawanbansal_chd) November 25, 2020
Responding to his appointment as AICC treasurer, Pawan Kumar Bansal told India Today, "I thank Congress President Sonia Gandhi ji and Rahul ji for posing faith in me and discharging the duty with full responsibility shall be my endeavour."
Pawan Kumar Bansal's predecessor Ahmed Patel served as the AICC treasurer from August 2018 till his untimely demise earlier this month. Diagnosed with coronavirus, Ahmed Patel was undergoing treatment at the privately-run Medanta hospital in Haryana's Gurugram where he succumbed to multiple organ failure in the early hours of November 25.
Hon'ble Congress President Smt. Sonia Gandhi has assigned the additional responsibility of AICC treasurer (Interim) to Shri @pawanbansal_chd with immediate effect. pic.twitter.com/4eDYLBjun2— Congress (@INCIndia) November 28, 2020
Apart from Ahmed Patel, the Congress also lost one of its tallest leaders in the northeast, former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi to Covid-19 earlier this month.