- Aradhana Misra appointed UP Congress president, replacing Ajay Rai.
- Faces immediate challenge of seat-sharing talks with Samajwadi Party.
- Aims to strengthen INDIA Bloc ahead of 2027 UP Assembly polls.
UP Polls: In a major organizational reshuffle ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, Congress appointed Aradhana Misra as the state president, replacing Ajay Rai. Misra, daughter of Congress veteran Pramod Tiwari, thanked the top brass and reassured commitment to bring the INDIA Bloc back to power with the Samajwadi Party. Misra has been given the top post in the crucial time, as the seat-sharing talks with the Akhilesh Yadav-led party are likely to commence soon.
Misra's Rise Through Ranks
While Misra entered politics due to her father's prominence, she managed to build her own identity over the years. She has served as MLA and Congress legislature party leader in the Uttar Pradesh assembly. Misra was also given key responsibilities in the previous 2022 assembly polls and reportedly impressed the top brass by her organizational skills.
However, with just a few months remaining in the next assembly election, the crown given to Misra is full of thorns. "I am grateful to my party for the trust reposed in me for this big responsibility and am hopeful that together we will be able to make a meaningful difference in UP," Misra was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
Alliance Talks With SP
The first major challenge for Misra would be to commence the seat-sharing talks with the Samajwadi Party for the coming polls. The grand old party performed well by winning six seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls with the Akhilesh Yadav party. However, due to bitter remarks from both ends, the relations between the two parties have soured recently.
The Congress high command would expect Misra to initiate talks with the key ally to ensure that the selected candidates get sufficient time for campaign. While the grand old party has reportedly demanded 150 out of the total 403 seats, the SP leaders are not in favour of giving more than 70 seats. The assembly election is likely to be held in the initial months of 2027.