Ajay Rai takes over as UP Cong chief: ‘Ready to face bulldozer, bullet of govt’

He said Rahul Gandhi never lied to the people of Amethi, unlike Smriti Irani, the sitting MP from the seat, who promised sugar at Rs 13 per kg after she became the MP. “It is the demand of the people of Amethi that Rahul Gandhi contest the election from here and they will ensure his victory by at least 5 lakh votes,” Rai told reporters. Rai alleged that Irani has been lying to the people of Amethi about the developmental works she has done for the constituency and that people have now understood her tricks.

Pointing out that it is significant to win the fight in Uttar Pradesh for Rahul Gandhi to become the prime minister in 2024, Rai opened fronts against both the state and the central governments and called upon party rank and files to start preparations for 2024 — “24 (August 24) se 2024 ki tayari”.

Sharing the dais with senior party leaders former UP president Nirmal Khatri, former Union ministers Salman Khurshid and Pradeep Jain Aditya, CWC members Supriya Shrinet and PL Punia, Rai addressed party leaders and workers. “In this difficult phase, when the Lok Sabha elections are just eight months away, all of us will have to bear this difficult responsibility,” he said.

As former UPCC chief Ajay Kumar Lallu cautioned Rai of “not just the outside forces but also forces from within the party”, Rai asked the party leaders and workers for their support and, in turn, assured them that “the Congress will be visible in every street, corner and village of the state”.

“Congress works will now be seen right from villages to fields to every street and corner of the state. Everyone knows that I’m not among those who will sit down. I will fight and win even if it means facing canes, bullets or bulldozer,” he said.

Alleging that both the state and the central governments muzzle those who speak their minds, Rai told party workers that they would have “to turn the face of bulldozers towards them to bring change in 2024”. “People who speak of their minds, the suppressive governments of Yogi and Modi threatened them with ED, CBI and bulldozer. We are going to reverse the face of the bulldozer and will not let injustice take place,” Rai said.

“We are going to bring a change in 2024,” said Rai, assuring party workers that after 2024, they would win UP in 2027. “Right from Chandauli to Ghaziabad and Bundelkhand to Bahraich, every party worker has made up his mind to bring Congress to the Centre in 2024 and want to see Rahul Gandhi as the prime minister,” he said.

Maintaining that the biggest responsibility lies with Uttar Pradesh to make Rahul Gandhi the prime minister, Rai said, “If we become weak in UP, then we will not be able to make Rahul Gandhi the prime minister in 2024.” Saying that he would not step back, Rai asked party workers to show everyone their strength in 2024.

Challenging both the state and the central governments, Rai said, “We are saying this openly that we will remove you, even if you send us to jail or use bulldozers against us.”

Some party leaders welcomed Rai, saying he would take forward the Congress from about 2 per cent vote share it has been reduced to.

Speaking on the occasion, former UPCC chief Ajay Kumar Lallu said although some leaders pointed out that the Congress had been reduced to a 2 per cent vote share, he struggled a lot for the party during the Covid pandemic, went to jail for the party.

Even outgoing UPCC chief Brijlal Khabri, who was also present on the dais, said despite all hurdles, he did his best for the party. Rai is referred to by senior leaders like Nirmal Khatri and Pramod Tiwari as the “one who has the capability to fight against Prime Minister Narendra Modi against all odds”.