A STRONGMAN of Varanasi region in Uttar Pradesh and former BJP leader, Ajay Rai planted his feet in the Congress when he took up the challenge on behalf of the party of contesting against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Varanasi. Now Congress president of UP, Rai faces the challenge of reviving the party in a state where its decline has mirrored its fall nationwide. He speaks to The Indian Express on his plans for the Congress and for taking on the Yogi Adityanath government, and says his 15 years in the BJP give him the needed insight to take on the party. Excerpts: * There are just a few months to go for the Lok Sabha elections. What are your plans for the party? You will now see activities in the Congress and everyone will be given work as per their capabilities. But the existing zonal system will cease to exist. If people get the respect they deserve, they will come to the Congress. Just today, a former Congress MLA who had left for another party came to meet me. People will come back as they are attracted towards Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi, Mallikarjunji, and I will work for them as their soldier. The Congress is like a colourful bouquet, including Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Jains, Buddhists, and due respect is given to all, old as well as new. * You have taken up an organisational role. Does that mean you will not contest the Lok Sabha elections? The party will decide. It directed that I contest against Modi, and I contested. It directed that I become state president and I will now work in that role, bringing strength to the organisation. I will follow the directions of the party and if because I work in the organisation, (I am told not to contest elections), I will not contest. * Former state presidents of the Congress were seen to have not got a free hand to run the party. Do you feel you will have your way? Who did not get a free hand to work? If someone says that they did not, it means that they did not want to work. If you have the capability to work, then no one will stop you. I have been working in the Congress since 2009, and no one has ever stopped me. I took the decisions I wanted to, and worked on them. The national leadership never interferes if you are working and delivering results and taking the people along. I have also worked in the BJP for 15 years and, trust me, jitna free hand Congress mein kaam karne ka hai, kisi party mein nahin milega (the kind of freedom there is in the Congress to work, no party has it). In the BJP, you cannot speak a word without their (the leadership's) consent, nor can you take a single step on your own. * What are the first items on your agenda? Will we see organisational changes? First move ek hi hai, woh hai sarkar se ladna (There is only one first move, which is to fight the government). I already have an organisation, my first move is to fight the government over its atrocities and expose them to the public. We will take our campaigns against the government over corruption, unemployment, atrocities, price rise to the roads, and we will not stop. * What are the specific issues you want to raise? Apart from unemployment, corruption etc, the biggest injustice being done to the people of UP is that most of the large government contracts are being given to corrupt companies of Gujarat. I have examples, right from works in Lucknow, to the tent city in Varanasi, to Kumbh, to the purchase of roadways buses, to contracts in the Irrigation Department. The public of UP, which is being used to win parliamentary elections, is left only frying and selling pakoras, while the cream is being taken away by Gujarat-based companies. * You have faced cases in the past. You say you are ready to face more, including bulldozers. They are trying every method to weaken Ajay Rai. A few months back, there was an order regarding the Varanasi Sant Yatra violence by which all the accused's names were taken off and only the name of Ajay Rai remains (Several sadhus and Rai were booked following violence in Varanasi during a yatra in October 2015. Booked under the NSA by the then Samajwadi Party government, Rai spent seven months in jail). I know that they are trying to find ways to put me into jail, frame me, demoralize me. But let me be clear, I am here to fight. I will not be demoralized easily, and the more I am suppressed, the more I will fight. * You have spoken about Rahul Gandhi contesting from Amethi and have extended support to Priyanka, if she decides to contest from Varanasi. UP has not seen much of these leaders after the 2022 Assembly polls, where the Congress won just two seats. Will there be a change now? They will come as Ajai Rai has come now. As far as Rahulji contesting Amethi is concerned, there is a demand for the same from the people of Amethi. We will request Priyankaji to contest as well. The decision lies with them. * The Congress national leadership is part of the INDIA alliance, along with the Samajwadi Party. But in UP, there are voices against such an alliance. How would you manage these? These decisions are taken by the national leadership, and whenever our suggestions are sought, we will give them. We will prepare for all the 80 Lok Sabha seats (in UP) and will follow whatever the national leadership decides. * You acknowledged your wife's role in public, thanking her for supporting you. Will this reflect in the organisational role given to women in the party? How will I respect other women if I do not respect my own wife, who has stood by me through all the tough times? We are not like the BJP which does not respect women and only uses them as a vote bank. See what has happened. Amarmani Tripathi is being released, before this, Chinmayananda was saved, before that Sakshi Maharaj was saved, and for that matter, Kuldeep Senger. All those who did injustice to women have been felicitated by the BJP. The party is against women, it only uses the slogan Beti Bachao, Beti Padao. I ask them, 'Yeh beti bachane walon ko chorha ja raha hai ki beti marne walon ko chorha ja raha hai (Are those who helped women being released or those who have hurt them)?'. Was Amarmani in jail for some kranti or desh-hit (revolution or the country's welfare)? * Mukhtar Ansari was convicted in you brother’s murder case after 32 years recently. Do you give credit to the BJP government for the same? Let me ask you one thing, Their government was there at the Centre and in the state when Ansari was released in the Krishnanada Rai case. If they are so good at pursuing cases against the mafia and criminals, and are taking credit for this one, then why could they not convict him in the Krishnanada case then? Were they not serious, is that why he got released? I have worked with them, they only talk. That is why I have accepted the challenge (of leading the UP Congress), and I am ready to stand before their bulldozer if needed. * You fought PM Modi in Varanasi, but now are talking about the bulldozer, associated with Yogi Adityanath. So is your fight with the Chief Minister now? My first target is Modiji. We are fighting him. Yogiji just does what Modiji directs him to do. Jab powerhouse se ladayi ho rahi hai toh transformer se ladke kya karenge (when I am fighting the powerhouse, why bother with the transformer)? I do not have a personal grudge against anyone, I do not expect Modiji or Yogiji to bring food for my house. I am fighting for the issues of the public and that is why I demand adequate security as well from the government. If they provide it, it is good. If they don't, I do not expect it.
