Mamta Chaudhary Alleges Mistreatment by Ajay Rai’s Supporters in UP Clash

On October 11, 2026, an alleged physical and verbal confrontation at the Uttar Pradesh Congress headquarters in Lucknow brought Mahila Congress leader Mamta Chaudhary and former state party chief Ajay Rai into a direct face-off, with Chaudhary alleging that she and other women workers were mistreated by Rai’s supporters.

Leadership Transition Interrupted by Clashes at Lucknow Headquarters

The chaotic scenes erupted on the exact day Aradhana Misra took over as the new president of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC). The handover ceremony, which was also attended by newly appointed working president Imran Masood and Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tiwari, was disrupted as supporters of the outgoing chief and factions loyal to the incoming leadership clashed over clearing a passage. According to The Indian Express reported, the incident delayed the maiden press conference by nearly an hour as workers shoved, shouted, and threw shoes at each other.

Visuals from the venue showed widespread disorder. This remark triggered a volatile exchange.

Mamta Chaudhary and Ajay Rai Trade Accusations Over the Scuffle

Mamta Chaudhary, who serves as the president of the state Mahila Congress’s central zone, rejected claims that she insulted the outgoing chief. Speaking to The Indian Express on Monday, the 47-year-old stated she was merely trying to help women workers who were being pushed. I was not instigating anyone. I was not even talking to him, she said regarding the initial escalation. If I had said something wrong, you are a senior leader, you could have reprimanded me. But what was the need to get shoes and slippers thrown at us?

Video footage showed Chaudhary purportedly stating she did not wish to see Rai’s face, after which Rai snapped back telling her to remain within her limits (aukaat mein baat karo). Denouncing the episode as an assault on Dalits and women, Chaudhary asserted, I have faith in the Congress. Women’s dignity is respected here. A few wrong people bring a bad name to the party.

On the other side of the divide, Ajay Rai maintained that he acted to curb indiscipline. In an interview with Hindustan Times, Rai defended his stance: I made sure that anti-party and nuisance-makers stay away. The incident might be related to my actions against them. For now, I have given proof and told everything to the new state chief to look into. Speaking about his broader political standing, Rai added, I remain a committed soldier of the Congress and will win the Pindra assembly seat. He also downplayed his departure by offering a brief comment to NDTV: There is nothing much for me to say. I am an ordinary party cadre who will continue to put in my best for the party, adding that he hopes Mona takes the organization to new heights.

Organizational Tensions Surface During Party Investigation

The clash brought long-simmering organizational tensions to the surface. Chaudhary entered politics in 2006, serving four consecutive terms as a Lucknow corporator and running as a candidate in the 2022 Assembly elections under Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s Ladki Hoon, Lad Sakti Hoon campaign. Party insiders cited by The Indian Express pointed out that her tenure as Mahila Congress central zone president has operated amid administrative uncertainty, given that the broader committee was dissolved last year without a successor committee being named.

To address the fallout, the All India Congress Committee established a fact-finding committee headed by former UP Congress president Brijlal Khabri. Khabri informed The Indian Express that his panel would submit a detailed report on the incident within a week.

New Leadership Faces Immediate Organizational Challenges

Stepping into her new role, state chief Aradhana Misra pivoted immediately toward party rebuilding. During her first press conference, reported by The New Indian Express, she declared, This is not a time for celebrations, welcomes or honours. This is a time for struggle, while urging members to unite behind Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Mona also acknowledged her predecessor’s efforts, stating that Rai had steered the organization through difficult circumstances.

External observers noted the high stakes facing the party ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. Dr Shashikant Pandey, Head of the Department of Political Science at Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, stated in a proposed assessment covered by The New Indian Express that a mere leadership swap cannot automatically resolve entrenched internal differences. Meanwhile, BJP State President Pankaj Chaudhary seized on the chaos, telling The New Indian Express that the Congress needs to seriously introspect regarding the incident that took place in Lucknow and questioning how a female president was treated in the presence of senior leadership.