New Delhi, April 24 -- Ashok Lahiri, economist and an outgoing West Bengal MLA of the BJP, has been made a vice-chairman of the NITI Aayog just before the second phase of the Bengal Elections. This means that Lahiri will be the de facto chief of the think tank, which is chaired by the Prime Minister himself.

He has earlier served as the Government of India's 12 Chief Economic Adviser.

Lahiri is a member of the West Bengal Assembly from Balurghat, but is not contesting polls this time around. He is an alumnus of the prestigious Presidency College in Kolkata, where he studied in the Economics department. Lahiri has taught at notable institutions like the Delhi School of Economics, He has also held senior positions in institutions like the...