After being headless for almost six months, Congress has appointed a Dalit leader and former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), MP, Brijlal Khabri as its state president in Uttar Pradesh. The party has adopted a new formula of appointing six zonal presidents along with the state chief this time. Hailing from backward region of Bundelkhand, Khabri had joined congress before 2014 parliament elections.
Congress has divided into six zone and appointed one president for each. Senior congress leaders Naseemuddin Siddiqui, Ajay Rai, Nakul Dube, Virendra Choudhury, Yogesh Dixit and Anil Yadav have been made zonal presidents in UP Congress. In March this year the Congress UP Chief Ajay Kumar Lallu had resigned after dismal performance of party in assembly polls. Ever since then the post was lying vacant and party was looking for a suitable leader to head organization in UP.
The newly appointed state chief of Congress Brijlal Khabri belonged to Khabri village of Jalaun district in Bundelkhand region UP and had started his political career as student leader in local DAV College. However, he later joined BSP and successfully contested 1999 parliament elections. BSP founder Kanshiram had sent him to Rajya Sabha after he faced defeat in 2004 LS polls.
According to the organizational secretary in UP Congress, Anil Yadav, the experience and caste base of Khabri would help party in coming days. Khabri belonged to Jatav community of Dalit which is good in numbers in UP.
For the first time in UP, Congress has appointed six zonal presidents who would look after Eastern, Western, Braj, Bundelkhand, Awadh and Prayag regions of state. The party has given due importance to caste factor while selecting the zonal presidents. While Khabri as state chief would work on mobilizing Dalits with Congress, newly appointed zonal presidents Yogesh Dixit and Nakul Dube belongs to upper caste Brahmin community. Naseemuddin Siddiqui is from minority community, Ajay Rai, a Bhoomihar, Virendra Choudhury from Kurmi and Anil Yadav from Aheer community have been made zonal presidents.
According to a senior congress leader, Eastern UP would be looked after by legislator Virendra Choudhury while Ajay Rai to take care of Prayag region. In Awadh and Bundelkhand zone, Nakul Dube and Yogesh Dixit have been made zonal presidents. Naseemuddin Siddiqui has been appointed as zonal president for the Western UP.
