Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has been appointed as chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Chemicals and Fertilizers, according to a notification issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

Tharoor's appointment as chairperson of the parliamentary panel came after the Congress leadership suggested his name. The recommendation came at a time when the diplomat-turned-politician is contesting the Congress presidential election against his party colleague Mallikarjun Kharge.

Tharoor, who was earlier chairing the parliamentary panel on information technology, now was also replaced as the member of the committee as well.

In the latest rejig of the parliamentary panels, which happens annually, Congress was not allotted parliamentary panel on information technology.

In the last one year, the Tharoor-led panel discussed several issues like Pegasus snooping row, internet shutdowns, Facebook whistle-blower, which were critical of the government.

The Lok Sabha Secretariat issued the notification listing out the names of the members of the parliamentary panel on chemicals and fertilisers with Tharoor as chairperson.

In another notification, the Secretariat stated that the speaker has nominated M K Vishnu Prasad to the Committee on Information Technology replacing Shashi Tharoor.

Besides the panel on chemicals and fertilisers, the Congress has been given the chairmanship of only panel on commerce and environment.