Patna, Aug. 6: All India Congress Committee (AICC) on Friday replaced its Bihar Congress co-in-charge Praveen Rashtrapal with two new faces — Sanjay Nirupam and Vijay Laxmi Sadho — in its attempt to revitalise the morale of the party workers which has been down since the Assembly poll drubbing in 2010.

Sources said Rashtrapal, who was appointed as a co-in-charge along with Gulchain Singh Charak in March, was unhappy with the state Congress for not taking him in the loop of the party activities. Rashtrapal had replaced Mukul Wasnik and Sagar Raika. “Rashtrapal has expressed willingness to be relieved of Bihar affairs because he was being sidelined. Rashtrapal was unhappy with the state leadership for not taking him into confidence for carrying out meetings,” a state leader of the party told The Telegraph.

Nirupam, a Lok Sabha MP, and AICC secretary Dr Sadho, have been appointed to assist the party’s Bihar affairs in-charge Charak who has not been able to devote too much time to the state because of his engagements in Punjab, which, along with UP, is going to polls next year.

Nirupam, a resident of Rohtas district, had graduated from Patna’s AN College in political science.

Charak is the in-charge for Bihar, Punjab and Chandigarh. “These young and dynamic leaders will devote more time to the party in Bohar. Nirupam, who hails from Bihar, must be having good knowledge of the state’s politics and its society. His experience will come handy for preparing a strategy to revive and strengthen the party’s chances in the state,” a state leader told The Telegraph.

Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee media department’s convener H.K. Verma said he was “happy” over the appointment. “I welcome the appointments. Both Nirupam and Sadho are young and energetic and hence, the move will help build the party in the state.”

Verma, however, said his appointment had nothing to do with the organisational polls, which are underway. A separate election authority headed by B.D. Kalla is overseeing the poll preparedness, he said.

Charak could not spare much time for Bihar Congress which is evident from the fact that he visited the state less than half a dozen times and that too for few hours, a party worker said adding that �In days to come, Charak will be much more engaged in Punjab keeping in view the assembly polls there and hence it is good that a person who is not only young but also can put party�s viewpoint convincingly on issues like BIADA land allotment, AC-DC bills, Forbesganj police firing etc in which Nitish government is embroiled in controversy.