Prayagraj: On October 2, 2026, the Congress party appointed three-time MLA Aradhana Mishra ‘Mona’ as the new President of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC), replacing Ajay Rai. MP Imran Masood was appointed as the working president, alongside Devendra Prasad Mahra and Alok Prasad as vice-presidents, forming a new Brahmin-Muslim-OBC-Dalit political equation ahead of the 2027 UP Assembly elections.
However, political observers are quipping: Can a change of leadership end factionalism if the underlying differences within a party remain unresolved? The Uttar Pradesh Congress faces this question after a scuffle at its state headquarters on October 11 overshadowed the formal assumption of charge by newly appointed state president Aradhana Mishra ‘Mona’.
A senior party leader said on the condition of anonymity, “The confrontation between supporters of outgoing state president Ajay Rai and workers associated with Congress leader Mamta Chaudhary turned what was meant to mark the start of a new organisational phase into a public display of discord. Supporters allegedly hurled shoes, exchanged abuses, and senior leaders had to intervene to bring the situation under control. The incident has raised questions about whether the leadership reshuffle announced by the Congress high command on October 2 can translate into organisational unity or whether competing groups will continue to undermine the party’s efforts to rebuild itself ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. The Congress needs to seriously introspect regarding the incident that took place in Lucknow.”
He stressed that internal disputes should be resolved through dialogue rather than public fights, highlighting the importance of democratic decorum within political organisations. “Disputes can occur, but one should present their views on the platform rather than fighting on it like this… I condemn this,” he added.
He slammed the Congress for appointing Aradhana Mishra as the Uttar Pradesh Congress president and Imran Masood as the working president. “The Congress has changed its state president and elevated a new working president. But the biggest question haunting party workers remain – Why Working Prez in UP Congress?” he quipped and added, “Appointment of working president is justified when UPCC chief is old, bedridden or hospitalized. All these three conditions are in no way related to new UPCC chief Aradhana Mishra Mona. She is quite young and active.”
He also questioned the support base of new UPCC chief and her father Pramod Tiwari outside their den – Rampur Khas. He claimed that both father and daughter will remain confine to an assembly seat during campaigning process and their utility across the state will be an uphill task for Grand Old Party.
On the request of maintaining anonymity he explained that things became worst due to unceremonial removal of ex-UPCC chief Ajay Rai, who according to him, wasn’t asked to furnish his resignation and superseded by Aradhana Mishra ‘Mona’ in a sudden move.
Sources among party workers claimed Rai was visibly upset by the incident and initially decided to leave the headquarters without participating in the formal handover ceremony.
Congress leader Pramod Tiwari folded his hands in an attempt to pacify former UP Congress chief Ajay Rai amid tensions at the party HQ in Lucknow, urging him to attend the ceremony handing over charge to Aradhana Mishra. Following intervention by Tiwari, Congress MP Imran Masood and incoming president Mona, Rai returned to the premises and formally handed over charge to his successor. Significantly, although Rai participated in the handover, he was conspicuously absent when Mona subsequently addressed her first press conference as UP Congress president.
According to him, Aradhana Mishra ‘Mona’ assumed charge of UPCC chief on October 11 in a haste, when party’s UP general secretary wasn’t present. He claimed that incidents of violence and abuse send a bad message to the masses and casts shadow over party’s poll prospects in upcoming UP Assembly elections. He remarked that party high command has constituted a high level committee to probe the incident under ex-UPCC chief Brijlal Khabar and asked to submit report by October 20. Humiliated may be compelled by his supporters to leave the party for respectability and greener pastures. Meanwhile, he signed off by raising the party workers sentiment and their worry over the future of Grand Old Party in the biggest state, which holds the biggest sway to successfully traverse the electoral success on the road to Delhi.
