Rajiv Pratap Rudy appointed as national spokesperson of BJP

Former union minister and BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy was appointed as the national spokesperson of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday.

Rudy has been appointed by BJP national president Amit Shah.

A party statement said his appointment will take place with immediate effect.

A Lok Sabha MP from Bihar who had defeated RJD president Lalu Prasad's wife Rabri Devi in 2014 general elections, Rudy has held organisational responsibilities in the past as well and was also a general secretary, a key position.

"My thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi & BJP President Amit Shah. I look forward to responsibility as the national spokesperson to take forward the achievements of the government under the leadership of the prime minister," Rudy said in a tweet. 

The Rajput leader was a minister in the first BJP-led NDA government under Atal Bihari Vajpayee and was also made a minister in the Modi government. He was later dropped in a cabinet reshuffle. 

Rudy had resigned as the minister of state (independent charge), Skill Development and Entrepreneurship on August 31, 2017.