M Veerappa Moily, who launched a surprise attack on JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, has been abruptly removed as chairman of the Congress media department. He has been replaced by AICC General Secretary Janardan Dwivedi, who had been holding the charge earlier, party sources said.

The removal of Moily is believed to be due to the displeasure of the party high command over his remarks against the Bihar Chief Minister, who was sought to be wooed by party leader Rahul Gandhi. Moily had yesterday said that Congress is not going to "make a hero" of Nitish Kumar.

"I do not thing Congress is going to make a hero of Nitish Kumar, the manner in which he has aligned with BJP and is carrying on...that kind of pollution of his secular credentials with the communal," Moily had said. When asked about the Congress's decision to relieve him of his charge as AICC media head, Moily, who is in Bangalore, merely said that he had given the charge to Dwivedi as he would be away in Karnataka till May 17.