Lucknow: Gearing up for the crucial 2027 Assembly elections, the Indian National Congress has announced a major organisational reshuffle in its Uttar Pradesh unit. Three-time MLA Aradhana Misra, popularly known as ‘Mona’, has been appointed as the new President of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC). She replaces Ajay Rai, who was relieved of his duties following a recent one-on-one meeting with Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
To strengthen its social engineering formula in the politically significant state, the party has also appointed Saharanpur Member of Parliament (MP) Imran Masood as the Working President of the state unit. Furthermore, Devendra Nishad and Alok Prasad have been entrusted with the responsibilities of Senior Vice Presidents, while Chaudhary Virendra Singh has been named the Leader of the Congress Legislature Party in the UP Assembly.
The strategic overhaul is being widely perceived as the party’s attempt to balance the Brahmin, Dalit, OBC, and Muslim vote banks. Aradhana Misra, the daughter of senior Congress leader Pramod Tiwari, represents the Rampur Khas constituency. She brings considerable organisational experience to the table and previously played a prominent role alongside Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the ‘Ladki Hoon, Lad Sakti Hoon’ campaign during the last assembly elections.
According to party insiders, the decision highlights the central leadership’s intent to reinvigorate the grassroots cadre. Speaking on the changes, UP Congress in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam had earlier stated that the authority to appoint the state chief rests entirely with the party’s high command. The new appointments are expected to bring fresh momentum to the party’s outreach campaigns across the state.
In a parallel development, the Congress leadership also revamped its Punjab state unit, which is also slated to go to the polls in early 2027. Former Indian hockey captain, Olympian, and Jalandhar Cantt MLA Pargat Singh has been appointed as the new Punjab Congress President. A Padma Shri and Arjuna Awardee, Singh replaces Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, who formally submitted his resignation to Rahul Gandhi earlier today.
These twin leadership changes in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab send a clear message that the Congress high command is actively restructuring its regional bastions well in advance of the upcoming electoral battles.