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Before the 2027 assembly elections, murmurs of major changes in the Uttar Pradesh Congress organization have intensified. According to party sources, brainstorming is going on from changing the state president to restructuring of the entire state executive. This time Congress wants to prepare an organization keeping caste and social equations at the center. There is talk that the party is working on a strategy to infuse new energy into the 2027 election battle by bringing forward OBC, Muslim and Dalit leadership. In this series, seven big leaders are expected to get important responsibilities in the organization. There is talk of Aradhana Mishra ‘Mona’, Rakesh Rathore, Imran Masood, Pramod Tiwari, Tanuj Punia, Deepak Singh and Vivek Bansal getting bigger responsibilities in the organization.

According to party sources, Sitapur MP Rakesh Rathore and Saharanpur MP Imran Masood are said to be the frontrunners in the race for state president. Rakesh Rathore is considered a big face of the OBC community, while Imran Masood is among the prominent leaders of Muslim leadership in western Uttar Pradesh. It is believed that Congress may bet on any one of these with the aim of strengthening its political hold between the two classes.

Why the discussion of replacing Ajay Rai?

Ajay Rai was made the President of Uttar Pradesh Congress in place of Brijlal Khabri on 17 August 2023. His three-year tenure will be completed in August 2026. He had registered the presence of the party by contesting against Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. However, there is discussion in political circles that Ajay Rai comes from Bhumihar community, whose population in Uttar Pradesh is considered relatively less. Also a large section of Bhumihar voters are traditionally considered to support the BJP. In such a situation, Congress is considering a strategy to create a broad social base by making an OBC or Muslim face the state president.

Focus on the strategy of ‘whose population is as much’

Rahul Gandhi is continuously raising the issue of ‘As per the population, the share is equal’. In such a situation, efforts are being made to prepare the Congress organization in a big state like Uttar Pradesh on the basis of the same social balance. The party may try to tap new vote banks by giving more representation to OBC, Dalit and Muslim classes in the organization.

Recently, Congress had celebrated Kanshi Ram Jayanti as ‘Social Change Day’ in Lucknow. After this, the activities of the Scheduled Caste Department also intensified. Party sources believe that new responsibilities can also be assigned to increase the organization’s activism among the Dalit community.

Discussions of dialogue with Bahujan Samaj Party increased the stir

According to sources, Congress leaders had also tried to meet BSP chief Mayawati in recent days. Although the meeting could not take place, discussions intensified thereafter regarding possible political dialogue between Congress and Bahujan Samaj. There has been no official confirmation from any party in this regard.

Political analysts believe that the upcoming organization of Uttar Pradesh Congress will not be just a distribution of posts, but will become the foundation of the entire strategy for the 2027 assembly elections. Now all eyes are on the final decision of the Congress high command as to which face is handed over the command of the state.