Ex-minister Pawan Bansal made Congress treasurer as interim measure

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday appointed former union minister Pawan Bansal an interim treasurer of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) following the demise of Ahmed Patel. Mr. Bansal, who is now in charge of AICC administration, will assume responsibility with immediate effect, a statement from AICC general secretary for organisation K.C. Venugopal said.

His appointment comes a day after the Congress Working Committee (CWC) paid rich tributes to Patel, who was appointed as the party’s treasurer in August 2018.

Patel was one of the closest aides of Ms. Gandhi and played a key role during the term of the United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre between 2004 and 2014.

On Friday, the CWC noted Patel’s ability “to reconcile competing aspirations and forge unity and comradeship among the leaders of the party” as well as his ability to extend this quality to other political parties and give shape to coalitions at the Centre and in States.

The party, however, would look to appointing a full-time treasurer along with a new party president and elect CWC members whenever the next AICC session takes place.

The process for holding the session is under way but is unlikely before February, a senior leader had told The Hindu earlier.