UP Congress Chaos: Supporters of Aradhana Mishra and Ajay Rai Clash in Lucknow

A significant disturbance occurred at the Uttar Pradesh Congress state office located in Lucknow on Sunday. The incident took place during a scheduled program for the newly appointed State President, Aradhana Mishra Mona, who was officially taking over her new responsibilities, while the event, which was intended to be a formal transition of power and a press interaction, quickly descended into chaos as internal party factions clashed openly within the office premises.

The Outbreak of the Conflict

The trouble began while the newly appointed State President, Aradhana Mishra Mona, was addressing a press conference. As she was speaking to the media, a continuous stream of supporters and visitors kept arriving at the venue to greet her. During this session, the former State President, Ajay Rai, arrived at the office accompanied by a large group of his supporters, while the situation turned tense when Ajay Rai's supporters began chanting slogans such as Ajay Rai Zindabad loudly within the office premises.

Escalation into Physical Altercation

The slogan-shouting by Ajay Rai's followers reportedly led to a direct confrontation with the supporters of Aradhana Mishra Mona. What started as a verbal disagreement quickly escalated into a heated exchange of words and verbal abuse. The situation spiraled out of control to the point where physical violence broke out between the two groups. Witnesses reported that shoes and slippers were thrown from both sides as the supporters of the two leaders clashed in the presence of senior party members and the media.

Ajay Rai Sits on Dharna

Following the violent outburst, former State President Ajay Rai expressed his deep resentment by sitting on a protest or dharna right inside the party office. He leveled serious allegations of misbehavior against Mamta Chaudhary, a supporter of Aradhana Mishra. The atmosphere remained charged as Ajay Rai initially walked out of the office in anger. However, senior Congress leaders, including Pramod Tiwari and Imran Masood, intervened to manage the crisis. They eventually managed to persuade Ajay Rai to return inside the office after discussions.

Official Assumption of Charge

Despite the significant unrest and the clash between the rival factions, the official proceedings continued. Aradhana Mishra Mona formally took over her duties as the newly appointed State President. Alongside her, Imran Masood also assumed his responsibilities as the Executive President. The event saw the participation of a large number of party workers and office bearers who had gathered to witness the leadership transition. The incident has highlighted deep-seated internal friction within the state unit of the party.

Statements on Political Strategy

During the press conference, Aradhana Mishra Mona also addressed questions regarding the party's future political strategy and its alliance with the Samajwadi Party. She clarified that the INDIA alliance has been formed at the national level. Regarding the specific strategy and decision-making for Uttar Pradesh, she stated that the top leadership of the party would take the final call on how to proceed with the alliance in the state. The event concluded with the new leadership taking charge amidst a backdrop of visible internal discord among the supporters of the current and former state chiefs.