Prayagraj: Celebrations erupted in Prayagraj on Saturday after the appointment of three-time Rampur Khas MLA Aradhana Mishra ‘Mona’ as the president of Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC). Local party leaders and workers burst crackers and distributed sweets to celebrate her elevation.Mishra, who has deep political roots in the region, succeeds Ajay Rai at a time when Congress is gearing up for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.A congratulatory poster put up outside Mishra’s residence in Prayagraj underscored the party’s attempt to broaden its appeal beyond traditional support bases. The poster highlighted representation for Brahmins, Rajputs, Dalits, backward classes and minorities, projecting social inclusiveness alongside Mishra’s identity as a prominent Brahmin leader.Her appointment is also being viewed as an effort by Congress to reconnect with Brahmin voters, a community that once had strong ties with the party but has largely shifted towards BJP over the years.Mishra replaces Ajay Rai, a prominent Bhumihar face of the party in the state.The 52-year-old leader represents Rampur Khas in Pratapgarh and is serving her third consecutive term as MLA. She was also the leader of Congress Legislature Party in Uttar Pradesh Assembly. Daughter of senior Congress leader Pramod Tiwari, Mishra has remained one of the party’s prominent faces in eastern Uttar Pradesh and has worked closely with the central leadership.Her appointment is significant for another reason: she becomes only the second woman to head UP Congress after Rita Bahuguna Joshi, who served as UPCC president between 2007 and 2012.As part of the organisational reshuffle, Congress has appointed Saharanpur MP Imran Masood as working president, while Devinder Nishad and Alok Prasad have been named senior vice-presidents.The composition of the new leadership team suggests an attempt to build a broader social coalition ahead of the assembly elections by bringing together prominent Brahmin, Muslim, OBC and Dalit leaders.With the 2027 assembly elections approaching, the changes indicate that Congress is seeking to strengthen its organisational structure and expand its social and regional footprint across Uttar Pradesh.
