Cong likely to appoint new UP chief ahead of polls

Ahead of the Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh next year, the Congress is contemplating a change in the state unit to tap in the upper caste community, the current chief is from the backward community, sources in the party have said.

The consideration for the change is purely political as the Congress leadership is happy with the work of the state president, but the party has of late realised that it is not in the 'game of the OBC community' as the BJP and Samajwadi Party have occupied that space, sources further said.

The consideration is to woo the Brahmins as the community is said to be unhappy with the BJP in the state and all the parties, including the ruling party are trying to get their support.

Though the Congress has not many Brahmin leaders apart from Pramod Tiwari, Rajesh Mishra and Acharya Pramod Krishnam.

Kishnam, who contested election against Rajnath Singh in Lucknow, is said to be the top choice for the state party chief's post as he is a saint like Yogi Adityanath and is also popular among the minorities. But, the other two are also heavy weights. Pramod Tiwari has not lost his Assembly seat of Rampur Khas in Pratapgarh while Rajesh Mishra was MP from Varanasi after defeating Murli Manohar Joshi years ago.

The Congress has been boosting its image for giving the highest number of Brahmin chief ministers to the state, the last was the late N.D. Tiwari. The congress lost 1989 elections and from that year has been out of power in the state.


While other non Brahmin names are also being considered, including Rajaram Pal and P.L. Punia. Pal is a former MP while Punia is Chhattisgarh in-charge of the party.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday returned after a three-day visit to the state where she interacted with all the office-bearers and district presidents. Earlier, the party decided to take out a 'Congress Pratigya Yatra' with the tagline -- 'Hum Vachan Nibhayenge', ahead of the Assembly elections.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had said that the yatra would cover a distance of 12,000 kilometres and will pass through all major villages and towns.


The date of the yatra is yet undecided though sources said that it was likely to begin from Gandhi Jayanti on October 2 - IANS