Congress makes Ajay Kumar Lallu new U.P party chief, Raj Babbar out

According to party sources, the Congress, on Monday night, appointed Ajay Kumar Lallu as president of its Uttar Pradesh unit, replacing Raj Babbar.  Ajay is the Congress Legislature Party leader in Uttar Pradesh and is a two-time MLA from Tamkuhi Raj constituency.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's close aide

Lallu is well known for being close to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who is the party's General Secretary (Incharge, Uttar Pradesh East). Sources suggest that Babbar had offered to resign from his post in May, taking “moral responsibility” after the party’s Lok Sabha poll debacle. Lallu’s place as the new CLP leader will now be taken by Rampur MLA Aradhna Mishra Mona, who is the daughter of senior leader Pramod Tiwari. According to sources, the Congress will also get a new 45-member state executive body.

As per sources, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra chose Ajay Kumar Lallu for the position because he has worked on the ground and because she has seen his work before up close before.

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Priyanka's new operational base in UP

In more Congress developments from the state of Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, on Monday, decided on her operational base. She picked her close relative and late Union minister Sheila Kaul’s house for the purpose.

According to sources, a house hunt was on for a long time. She reportedly made ger decision after spending time in the house while she was on a visit to the state capital Lucknow recently.

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The house now is under inspection for security needs before it is finalised as her operational base for political activities in India's most electorally significant state. The senior party leaders mentioned that a final decision on the issue of utilisation of the house as Gandhi's operational base, however, will only be taken only upon SPG's recommendations.

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(With PTI inputs)