The Congress is not able to find common ground regarding the selection of the new president for Uttar Pradesh. The biggest reason behind this is a lack of a strong face amongst remaining leaders. It is speculated that the party can bet on a minority leader this time. The state in-charge, Priyanka Gandhi, is said to be in favour of giving the responsibility to the minority leader.
If sources are to be believed, Priyanka Gandhi has endorsed the name of Imran Pratapgarhi. Imran, a poet by profession, is among those leaders who have become close to the Gandhi family in a very short time and managed to get a post in the party along with being a Rajya Sabha MP. Instead of leaders like senior and veteran leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Tariq Anwar, and Salman Khurshid, the party has apparently pushed Imran’s name forward. In fact, the resignation of Ajay Kumar Lallu was taken after the party’s humiliating defeat in the assembly elections held in February this year. The post of president of a state like Uttar Pradesh has been vacant for almost four months.
Some of the names that considered, keeping caste at the centre, were PL Punia, Nirmal Khatri, Pramod Tiwari, Pramod Tyagi alias Pramod Krishnam, Birendra Chaudhary, Brajlal Khabri, Rajesh Mishra, Salman Khurshid, and Pradeep Mathur.
However, sources say that leaders like Salman, Punia, Khatri, and Pramod Tiwari have expressed their reluctance. Imran Pratap has remained the leader of Garhi. The focus of Congress is on Brahmins, Dalits, and Muslims. The OBC vote is considered divided. All eyes are on Mayawati’s Dalit vote. Minority voters may still be considered with the SP, but the Congress feels that they can come back when the SP weakens.
There was a campaign to call the Yogi Government anti-Brahmin. Although it did not help the Congress, the Congress feels that the Brahmins can come back. The biggest problem with the party is said to be the lack of a strong face, which can stand anywhere in comparison with Yogi Adityanath and Akhilesh Yadav. Due to this, the party is not able to decide anything. The condition is such that in 2024, the Congress is not even being considered in the contest.