Congress abruptly replaces Ajay Rai as state chief in poll-bound UP
The Congress party has replaced its state leadership in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab ahead of the 2027 assembly elections. The appointments of Aradhana Mishra and Pargat Singh are strategic moves aimed at balancing caste representation and managing internal factionalism.
Why it matters
These leadership changes are critical for Congress's efforts to regain political relevance and manage coalition dynamics in key Indian states.
LUCKNOW/CHANDIGARH: Congress overhauled its PCC brass in two poll-bound states Friday, installing Rampur Khas MLA Aradhana "Mona" Mishra as the UP unit chief and hockey Olympian Pargat Singh as state president in Punjab, with each pick engineered around caste arithmetic ahead of the 2027 assembly elections.In UP, Ajay Rai was abruptly replaced by Mishra while Saharanpur MP Imran Masood was named working president. The pairing brings together a Brahmin face from eastern UP and a Muslim with influence in the west, striking a caste-regional balance the party rounded out by appointing Rajendra Pal Gautam, a Dalit, as state in-charge.Mishra (52), CLP chief in the UP assembly since 2019 and daughter of Rajya Sabha member Pramod Tiwari, is considered close to the central brass.
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