The Congress party on August 17 appointed Ajay Rai, a former five-time MLA, who also contested against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls in Varanasi, as the Uttar Pradesh Congress President.
Mr. Rai, hailing from Bhumihar, a caste constituting a small population in Eastern U.P., having influence in hardly five parliamentary segments, elevation is seen as an attempt to keep all factions in U.P. Congress happy.
“Hon’ble Congress President has appointed Shri Ajay Rai, Ex-MLA, as the President of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee with immediate effect. The party appreciates the contribution of the outgoing PCC President Shri Brijlal Khabri, Ex-MP and all the Zonal Presidents,” reads a letter issued by K.C. Venugopal, General Secretary, Organization.
In the 2014 and 2019 polls, Mr. Rai as a Congress candidate, came third in the Varanasi polling with 75,614 and 1,52, 548 votes, respectively. Like the previous U.P. Congress chief Mr. Khabri, who remained in the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) for a long time, Mr. Rai also spent the early part of his political career in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), getting elected as MLA, thrice on the saffron party symbol from Kolasla assembly segment in 1996, 2002 and 2007. He joined the Samajwadi Party (SP) in 2009 and fought the Lok Sabha polls from Varanasi on its symbol, and switched over to the Congress before the 2012 assembly polls.
In March, Mr. Rai made headlines when he symbolically dedicated his house in Varanasi to the party’s former president Rahul Gandhi who has been asked to vacate his official accommodation in the national capital after being disqualification as Lok Sabha member from Wayanad following his conviction by a Surat Court.
His elevation as U.P. Congress head is also seen as an attempt to strengthen the party in Eastern U.P., which once used to be the grand old party’s stronghold but presently witnessing the ruling BJP in complete control with both the Prime Minister and U.P. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath representing the region.
“Mr. Rai, a seasoned leader, will lead the party in 2024 polls. His experience and grounded nature will help the party to connect with workers and supporters who want the good old days of Congress back in U.P.,” said Dwijendra Tripathi, a senior State Congress leader.
With Mr. Rai’s appointment in three States of the Hindi belt- U.P., Bihar, and Jharkhand, the Congress is led by a leader hailing from the Bhumihar community.
