Congress on Friday, a few months before the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, made a major change in its state organization and appointed Aradhana Mishra Mona as the new state president. Also, Lok Sabha member from Saharanpur Imran Masood has been made the working president of the State Congress Committee. BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi took a jibe at Imran Masood becoming the working president.
Rakesh Tripathi said that Congress has gone ahead of SP in appeasement of Muslim vote bank. He said that Imran Masood has been rewarded for speaking against SP at the behest of the Congress high command. BJP spokesperson said that the challenges for SP in the alliance have increased. It is possible that Congress may now get more seats in the alliance.
Big change in UP Congress
Congress has tried to re-establish its old social equation through this change in the organization. The party has given the responsibility of president to Aradhana Mishra of Brahmin community and the responsibility of working president to Masood of Muslim community. Rajendra Pal Gautam, who belongs to the Dalit community, is already playing the role of state in-charge.
Till a few decades ago, Brahmin, Dalit and Muslim communities in Uttar Pradesh and many other states were considered the core vote bank of Congress, however, this equation of Congress got disintegrated after the rise of Mandal politics and BJP.
Appreciation of Ajay Rai’s contribution
While making other changes in the organization of Uttar Pradesh unit, Congress has appointed Devendra Nishad and Alok Prasad as senior vice presidents of Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee. Apart from this, Virendra Chaudhary has been made the leader of the Congress Legislative Party in Uttar Pradesh. The party has also appreciated the contribution of Ajay Rai, who is holding the responsibility of state president till now.
Who is Aradhana Mishra?
Aradhana Mishra is Congress MLA from Rampur Khas assembly seat of Pratapgarh. She is the daughter of senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member Pramod Tiwari. Rampur Khas has been a strong base of Congress for a long time and Aradhana Mishra has been elected MLA from this seat for three consecutive times. With long experience in assembly politics, Aradhana Mishra has also served as the leader of the Congress Legislature Party.
Now, as the state president, the main challenge before him will be to strengthen the party organization, connect the workers with election preparations and make a respectable agreement with the Samajwadi Party in seat sharing.
Major face of Congress in Uttar Pradesh politics
Imran Masood, who was made the working president, is one of the prominent faces of Congress active in the politics of Western Uttar Pradesh. He was elected MP from Saharanpur on Congress ticket in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Before this, he had also been MLA and Chairman of Saharanpur Municipality. Masood’s political base is mainly in Saharanpur and western Uttar Pradesh. He has also handled responsibilities like National Secretary in Congress and Vice President in the state organization.
Congress has appointed Virendra Chaudhary as the leader of the Congress Legislative Party in the state. He is an MLA from Farenda assembly seat of Maharajganj district. As the leader of the legislative party, his responsibility will be to lead the Congress MLAs in the Assembly and present the party’s side in the House. Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh are possible in February-March next year.
