Varanasi: Congress revealed its fourth list of Lok Sabha candidates on Saturday, featuring several prominent figures, including Ajai Rai, who is set to contest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Varanasi constituency for the third consecutive time. Famously known as a 'bahubali' (strongman) in the Purvanchal region of eastern Uttar Pradesh, the 54-year-old faced significant defeats against PM Modi in both the 2019 and 2014 Lok Sabha elections, finishing third on both occasions.
Despite his previous setbacks, Rai is anticipated to reinvigorate Congress at the grassroots level in Uttar Pradesh. This contributed to his selection as the party's state unit chief in August last year, succeeding Brijlal Khabri, a Dalit leader who had fallen out of favor, particularly with Priyanka Gandhi's team operating in the state.
Rai's political journey began as a member of the BJP's student wing, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). He served as an MLA three times on a BJP ticket from Uttar Pradesh's Kolasla assembly seat in 1996, 2002, and 2007. In 2009, he joined the Samajwadi Party but lost the Lok Sabha elections to BJP's Murli Manohar Joshi. Rai aligned with Congress in 2012 and won against a BJP candidate from the Pindra (formerly Kolasla) constituency in the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls. However, he faced defeats from Pindra in the 2017 and 2022 assembly elections.
Challenging PM Modi since 2014, Ajai Rai's caste background adds another dimension to Congress's hopes for him to present a robust challenge to the Prime Minister in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Rai hails from the Bhumihar community, which holds sway in certain areas of eastern Uttar Pradesh. While Purvanchal was once a Congress stronghold, it is now dominated by the BJP, with PM Modi in Lok Sabha elections and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath representing the region in the state assembly.
Moreover, Rai's candidacy aligns with Congress's Bharat Jodo and Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra initiatives, which aim to connect with the public, especially the youth, through grassroots engagement. The party seeks a candidate capable of confronting PM Modi across Uttar Pradesh.
"Ajai Rai has been battling PM Modi for the past decade. The upcoming Lok Sabha election will primarily be against PM Modi, so we have chosen a leader who has a history of challenging him. Ajai Rai will not only contest against Modi in Varanasi as part of the INDIA bloc but also take on the BJP across Uttar Pradesh," a senior UP Congress leader stated to India Today Magazine after Rai's appointment as UP Congress chief last year.
In Uttar Pradesh, Congress is in alliance with the Samajwadi Party as part of the INDIA bloc, contesting 17 seats. While Congress has announced candidates for nine seats in the state, speculation persists about whether Rahul Gandhi will contest from Amethi alongside Wayanad in Kerala, and whether Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will contest from Raebareli.
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