Lucknow: A physical altercation erupted between supporters of former Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai and Mamta Chaudhary, the party's women's state president, at the provincial headquarters in Lucknow on Sunday.
The disturbance took place during an official ceremony marking the formal assumption of charge by newly appointed state Congress president Aradhana Mishra and working president Imran Masood.
Tensions flared into a direct confrontation between the rival camps, with backers of Ajay Rai shouting slogans while holding shoes in their hands. Witnesses reported that a scuffle broke out and footwear was thrown during the chaotic episode.
The trouble reportedly began when Rai arrived at the party office while the program was already underway. As supporters cleared a path through the gathering, they called out for people to make way for the president. In response, members of Mamta Chaudhary's faction questioned which president was arriving.
That verbal exchange quickly deteriorated into a heated argument and a subsequent clash between the two groups. Following the disturbance, Rai raised the issue directly with senior party leaders present at the venue, including Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tiwari, Mishra, and Masood.
Rai criticized the participants for tarnishing the organization's public image and argued that their continued presence would poison the internal atmosphere. He formally demanded that Chaudhary be expelled from the party.
According to internal sources, party leaders assured Rai that the incident would be investigated and that appropriate measures would be taken. The unseemly clash overshadowed the leadership handover, generating complaints of abusive language and adding significant tension to the headquarters.
While eyewitness accounts confirmed the scuffle and the throwing of shoes, further specifics regarding injuries or property damage were not immediately available. The provincial Congress leadership has not yet announced any formal disciplinary action regarding Rai's call for Chaudhary's removal.