Will expose government's atrocities in Uttar Pradesh, says Congress's Ajay Rai

Newly-elected UP Congress chief, Ajay Rai, has been given the responsibility of reviving the party in the state, where it has endured a downfall.

Rai, a former BJP leader, switched sides after taking up the challenge of going up against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in both the 2014 and 2019 elections, from Varanasi.

In an interview with The Indian Express, he talks about the party's plan to take on the Yogi government and claims that the 15 years he spent with the BJP has helped him in gaining insights.

Speaking to the publication, Rai said that the first move 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."

He also said his party will campaign against the government over issues such as corruption, unemployment, price rise and roads.

Responding to question on the specific issues they he wants to raise, he said, "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".

He added that the people of Uttar Pradesh are used merely to win parliamentary elections.

"The people of UP are left only frying and selling pakoras, while the cream is being taken away by Gujarat-based companies," he said.