Tensions flared at the Uttar Pradesh Congress headquarters in Lucknow during Aradhana Misra Mona's swearing-in as state president. A reported dispute involving Ajay Rai and party workers led to a confrontation, requiring senior leaders to intervene. (Images: X)
Lucknow: An internal dispute within the Uttar Pradesh Congress erupted into a confrontation at the party's state headquarters in Lucknow on Sunday, disrupting the swearing-in ceremony of newly appointed state president Aradhana Misra Mona and working president Imran Masood.
The incident reportedly involved supporters of former state Congress president Ajay Rai and other party workers. Heated arguments allegedly escalated into pushing, shoving and physical altercations, creating a chaotic atmosphere at the party office.
The commotion continued for approximately 30 minutes, according to the account provided. A video purportedly showing the confrontation has also circulated on social media.
Ajay Rai arrived at the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee headquarters with his supporters to attend the ceremony marking the assumption of office by Aradhana Misra Mona as state president and Imran Masood as working president.
During the proceedings, a disagreement reportedly broke out between Rai and a woman party leader while the two were talking. The exchange allegedly intensified, prompting Rai to leave the premises in anger. The incident soon became a larger confrontation, with supporters reportedly demanding action against the woman leader and insisting that she issue an apology. Some supporters also reportedly said Rai would return to the state Congress office only after their demands were met. The developments cast a shadow over an event intended to mark a change in the party's leadership in Uttar Pradesh.
Following the confrontation, Rai also alleged that he had been mistreated during the incident. Separately, allegations emerged that women had been subjected to indecent treatment during the altercation. These claims have not been independently verified. The reported disagreement and subsequent confrontation have drawn attention to tensions within the state unit at a time when the party is transitioning to a new leadership team.
However, the precise circumstances that triggered the argument and the responsibility of individual participants remain unclear from the available account.
As the situation deteriorated, senior Congress leaders intervened in an effort to prevent further escalation. Rajya Sabha member Pramod Tiwari and Imran Masood reportedly stepped in to calm the workers and restore order at the headquarters. Aradhana Misra Mona also made efforts to pacify Rai and ease tensions between the two sides. Rai eventually returned to the party office after Tiwari assured him that the matter would be addressed.
The intervention helped bring the immediate confrontation under control, although the incident raised questions about internal coordination and discipline within the Uttar Pradesh Congress.
The clash has placed the spotlight on the party's internal dynamics as Aradhana Misra Mona assumes the state presidency and Imran Masood takes on the role of working president. The confrontation also highlights the challenges of managing disagreements among party leaders and their supporters during a leadership transition.
Whether the party takes further steps to address the reported dispute remains to be seen. No independently verified account establishing the complete sequence of events or assigning responsibility for the altercation was provided in the source material. For the Congress in Uttar Pradesh, the immediate priority will be to contain the fallout and prevent the controversy from overshadowing the new leadership's agenda.
