Congress has dismissed the old state presidents from Uttar Pradesh to Punjab. Ajay Rai resigned from the post of UP Congress Chief and Amarinder Singh Raja Vading retired from the post of Punjab President. In Punjab, Congress is divided into many camps, if this is not the case in Uttar Pradesh, then a different problem remains. Assembly elections are going to be held in both the states in 2027. Congress itself seems to be in trouble by making new appointments.
Congress has changed its state presidents in two election-bound states, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. In Uttar Pradesh, Aradhana Mishra has been made the state president in place of Ajay Rai. In Punjab, former minister Pargat Singh was made the state president in place of Raja Warding on 2 October 2026. Assembly elections in Punjab are to be held in 2027.
Aradhana Mishra is the daughter of Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tiwari. She is an MLA from Rampur Khas seat of Pratapgarh and has been the leader of the Congress Legislative Party in the Assembly. Pargat Singh is a former captain of the Indian men's hockey team and a three-time MLA from Jalandhar Cantt seat.
Why can Congress get stuck in Punjab?
In Punjab, Amarinder Singh is not happy after stepping down from the post of Raja Warding. He says that the decision to remove him was taken after the organizational feedback of state in-charge General Secretary Sachin Pilot. He also said that Sachin Pilot might have thought that Raja should be removed. Sachin Pilot was made in-charge in place of Bhupesh Baghel on 5 September. He had held several rounds of meetings with the state leaders. Sachin Pilot is also aware of the discord in Punjab Congress.
Well, it is true that Pargat Singh has a clean image and remains away from controversies. He is not part of any camp. Now the challenge before them is how to bring together so many different groups. The tussle between former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and Raja Vading in Punjab Congress was openly visible for many months. Pratap Singh Bajwa is the leader of opposition in the assembly and Channi is the chairman of the party's campaign committee. This appointment is also being viewed according to the regional equations of the party.
Now the challenge before Pargat Singh is to end the rift between Pratap Singh Bajwa, Charanjit Singh Channi and Raja Vading. If this does not happen, then the party will remain scattered like the 2022 assembly elections and Aam Aadmi Party and Shiromani Akali Dal may get a big opportunity. Raja Vading is not very happy with the election of Pargat Singh. Once again discord has come to the fore in Punjab Congress before the elections.
How is Congress stuck in UP by distributing posts?
In Uttar Pradesh, Congress has made Aradhana Mishra the state president in place of Ajay Rai. The party has also made Saharanpur MP Imran Masood the working president. These appointments have raised many questions before the party. Ajay Rai is a militant leader of Congress, disappointed at losing his post. Party discord can increase problems.
On the other hand, there is a dilemma over possible seat sharing with Samajwadi Party. These people have seen in the 2019 assembly elections what support base Congress has in Uttar Pradesh. Congress hopes that this change will strengthen its position before the elections, but the very principle of alliance seems to be in trouble.
Will Ajay Rai spoil the game?
Ajay Rai challenges the Prime Minister in Varanasi. He had also filed a defamation case against the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. There have been leaders who fought on the streets for Congress, a large section is angry with their removal. He was being appreciated as UP Congress. Now there may be tension between the party in-charge and Ajay Rai in the state.
It is being said that such a decision could not have been taken without the consent of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi. Now no decision has been taken on what will happen to Ajay Rai. If he does not get any important role at the national level. If he goes to another party, Congress may be in trouble. Although he is calling himself a soldier of Rahul Gandhi.
How will the game spoil with SP?
There is also a question regarding relations with SP. Aradhana Mishra's father Pramod Tiwari is said to have good relations with Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav. He has raised the question whether this appointment is related to this relationship, which can ease the seat sharing between Congress and SP. The problem will not lie here, but on the appointment of acting president Imran Masood. He has been continuously attacking Akhilesh Yadav. He has previously been associated with both the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party and is said to have appeal among Muslim voters.
Samajwadi Party has placed leaders with two different political stances on important positions. One has good relations with the SP leadership and the other has been against the SP. Now Congress may get into trouble due to Imran Masood speaking against SP. It is also possible that this is pressure politics of Congress.
The party is also facing challenges at the organizational level. The old state presidents had appointed district presidents of their choice. The new president is now focusing on setting up and running the organization in his own way. The organization that Ajay Rai had prepared, how far will he go with Aradhana Mishra