Lallu replaces Babbar as UP Cong president

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 7

The Congress today appointed Ajay Kumar Lallu as president of the Uttar Pradesh unit, replacing Raj Babbar. Lallu is sitting Congress Legislature Party Leader in the UP Assembly and a two-term MLA from Tamkuhi Raj. In a late night order, Congress president Sonia Gandhi named MLA Aradhana Misra as CLP Leader.

The Congress also approved four vice-presidents for the UP Congress and two groups — one to advise AICC general secretary UP and another to work out a strategy. The four new vice-presidents are Virender Chaudhary (organisation East), Pankaj Malik (organisation west) and Lalitesh Tripathi and Deepak Kumar.

In the 18-member advisory group to party general secretary UP, Sonia Gandhi has included senior leaders such as Ajay Rai, Mohsina Kidwai, Salman Khurshid, RPN Singh, PL Punia and Naseeruddin Siddiqui.

Former MoS Jitin Prasad, Imran Masood, Rajiv Shukla and Raja Ram Pal are part of the working group on strategy and planning.

Of late, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has been acting as a full AICC general secretary for UP though she was originally designated to handle East UP and Jyotiraditya Scindia was asked to handle West. Lallu has been at the forefront of recent agitations, including in Sonbhadra where Priyanka rallied behind tribals.

The Congress also appointed 12 general secretaries and 24 secretaries for Uttar Pradesh..