UP Congress awaiting appointment of new state chief, organisational activities at standstill

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: After the resignation of UP Pradesh Congress Committee chief Ajay Kumar Lallu owning responsibility for the party’s dismal show in the recently concluded state Assembly elections, the state unit has not got a new chief even a month after the results. The Congress could win just two seats with a vote share of 2.33 per cent.

As per senior functionaries of the grand old party, the activities of the organisation had come to a grinding halt after a hectic election campaign. “The party is waiting for the appointment of the new state chief who can breathe fresh life into the organisation. Hopefully the high command will look into it soon,” said a senior party leader.

However, the names of former UPCC president Nirmal Khatri, former Rajya Sabha MPs and senior leaders Pramod Tiwari and PL Punia are doing the rounds as possible contenders for the UPCC chief’s post.

ALSO READ: Breakup between Congress, Prashant Kishor leaves unanswered questions as party seeks revival

In the absence of a regular president of the state unit of the party, senior general secretary Dinesh Singh is taking care of day-to-day work to ensure smooth functioning of the party.

Apart from the resignation of the then UPCC chief who himself lost his seat, the Congress high command had entrusted party general secretary Bhanwar Jitendra Singh with the responsibility to ascertain the factors behind party’s decimation in the assembly elections. While the high command’s decision is awaited, party insiders claim that the feedback report mentioned that a large section of party cadre blamed lack of infrastructure at grassroots level for the rout.

The Congress’s number of seats has been dwindling in election after election. In 2012, Congress had won 15 seats. In 2017, the party stitched up an alliance with the Samajwadi Party but failed to cut much ice among the voters and the number of its seats came down to seven under the sweeping saffron surge. In 2022, despite an aggressive campaign by AICC general secretary and UP in-charge Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the party could win just two seats. After the 2022 poll results, Priyanka has not visited the state.