| 1980 |
Elected to 7th Lok Sabha |
| 1980-81 |
Secretary, Indian Youth Congress |
| 1985 |
Re-elected to 8th Lok Sabha (2nd term) |
| 1985-88 |
Joint Secretary, Indian National Congress |
| 1991 |
Re-elected to 10th Lok Sabha (3rd term) |
| 1991-95 |
Secretary, Congress Parliamentary Party |
| 1993-95 |
Chairman, Committee on Public Undertakings |
| 1995-96 |
Minister of State in the Ministries of Rural Areas and Employment (Department of Rural Employment and Poverty Alleviation) and Parliamentary Affairs |
| 1998 |
Re-elected to 12th Lok Sabha (4th term) |
| 1998-99 |
Member, Committee on Energy and its Sub-Committees on Power; and on Action Taken Reports; also Convenor, Sub-Committee-II on Coal;Member, Committee on Public Undertakings |
|
;Member, Committee on Private Members’ Bills and Resolutions ;Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Urban Affairs and Employment ;Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Railways;Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Finance |
| 1999-2004 |
Re-elected to 13th Lok Sabha (5th term) ;Member, Standing Committee on Transport and Tourism |
| 2003-05 |
Secretary, Congress Parliamentary Party |
| 2004 |
Re-elected to 14th Lok Sabha( 6th term) |
| 23 May 2004 |
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of New and Renewable Energy |
| 2009 |
Re-elected to 15th Lok Sabha (7th erm) |
| 31 Aug. 2009 |
Chairman, Committee on Food, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution |
| Sep. 2009 |
Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Civil Aviation |
| 19 Oct. 2009 |
Member, General Purposes Committee |
| Dec. 2009 |
Member, Consultative Committee, Minister of Urban Development |
| Aug. 2010 |
Member, India-Bangladesh Parliamentary Friendship Group |
