Congress appoints Kanhaiya Kumar as AICC in-charge of NSUI

Kumar had participated in the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra and walked the entire distance from Kanyakumari to Kashmir.

The Congress on Thursday appointed former JNU students' union president Kanhaiya Kumar, who joined the party after quitting the CPI, as the party in-charge of its students' wing National Students' Union of India (NSUI).

According to a party statement issued by Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal, party president Kharge has cleared the appointment of Kumar, who joined the Congress on 28 September, 2021.

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Earlier, there were reservations in some quarters about assigning Kumar the charge or the presidentship of either the Youth Congress or NSU(I) as he had been a student leader affiliated with CPI's AISF.

Kumar, who unsuccessfully contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, had quit the CPI following his disenchantment and disagreements with the CPI leadership. While there were no specific assignments for Kumar so far, he was an active participant of the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'.

He is also said to have the backing of Rahul Gandhi, who had accompanied him and Jignesh Mevani to Shaheed Bhagat Singh Park in the national capital to celebrate the birth anniversary of the iconic freedom fighter hours before their joining the party.

Kumar had shot to limelight after a sedition case was registered against him when he was Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union President in 2016.

He had earlier defended his decision of joining Congress saying that he believes in people's aspirations, Mahatma Gandhi's oneness, Bhagat Singh's courage and BR Ambedkar's idea of equality and the Congress "will protect it".

"I am joining Congress because it is not just a party, it is an idea. It is the country's oldest and most democratic party and I am emphasising on democracy...Not just me, many think that the country cannot survive without Congress," he had said.