UP Congress Chief’s Welcome Marred by Clash Among Supporters
Aradhana Misra Mona’s first day as state party chief sees rival groups clash, raising questions about internal unity ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
GG News Bureau
Varanasi, 12th Oct: Aradhana Misra Mona faced an early test of her leadership as a clash broke out between supporters of the incoming Uttar Pradesh Congress chief and those loyal to her predecessor, Ajay Rai, during the event marking her elevation to the post.
The gathering turned chaotic as rival groups raised slogans against each other, exchanged verbal abuse and reportedly threw shoes. Videos of the confrontation circulated widely on social media. Senior leaders, including Mona’s father and Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tiwari, and UP Congress working president Imran Masood, attempted to calm the situation.
Mamta Choudhary, chief of the Congress women’s wing in Madhya Pradesh, also faced verbal attacks while attending the event. “We are feeling very disheartened,” she said.
The confrontation began when supporters of Rai, who had led the Uttar Pradesh Congress since August 2023, raised slogans against Mona. Her supporters responded with slogans of their own, leading to a face-off marked by pushing, heckling and the throwing of shoes.
Tiwari was seen with folded hands while speaking to Rai amid the commotion. Rai later welcomed Mona with a bouquet, signalling an attempt to bring the event back under control.
Downplaying the incident, Rai described himself as an ordinary party worker committed to the organisation and said he hoped Mona would take the party to “new heights.” However, he reportedly complained to the party leadership that he had been insulted during the event. The leadership assured him that action would be taken against those responsible.
Mona takes charge as the Congress prepares for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, with the party seeking to rebuild its political presence in a state where it has been out of power since 1989.
In the 2022 Assembly elections, Congress won just two of the state’s 403 seats and failed to win in Amethi and Raebareli, constituencies once regarded as party strongholds.
The leadership change has also prompted speculation about caste representation and the party’s political arrangements with the Samajwadi Party. Rai, a Bhumihar leader, has been replaced by Mona, who belongs to the Brahmin community. The change has fuelled discussion about whether the Congress is seeking to strengthen its social coalition and smooth its alliance strategy ahead of the next election.
The immediate challenge for Mona will be to manage internal differences and bring rival factions together as the party begins preparations for the crucial electoral contest.
