Congress likely to find Brahmin face to replace Raj Babbar

Playing the caste card, the Congress is likely to name a Brahmin face to head its Uttar Pradesh unit in place of Raj Babbar, who offered to resign as UPCC chief on Tuesday after taking responsibility of losing deposits in Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha bypolls.

Babbar has said that he'd take any job offered to him after AICC president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday declared a reshuffle of all state units, he has been asked by the party high command to continue with his post till his successor is named. Babbar, however, kept mum on his resignation.

Raj Babbar was instrumental in calling off party's alliance with the Samajwadi Party (SP) after 2017 Assembly poll debacle. He had fielded party candidates in Gorakhpur and Phulpur LS bypolls ignoring Akhilesh Yadav's request to contest jointly.

"Talks on opposition alliance with BSP, SP and others in Uttar Pradesh were not possible if he had remained UPCC chief. It's good that he quit after seeing which way the wind was blowing," a senior UPCC functionary said.

UPCC sources claimed that the party is thinking of giving the command to a Brahmin leader to bring its traditional supporters back into party fold ahead of 2019 LS polls. Constituting about 12 per cent, Brahmins in Uttar Pradesh are annoyed with the BJP following CM Yogi Adityanath promoting Thakurs only. In Gorakhpur polls, they voted for Samajwadi Party candidate in large numbers.

Pramod Tiwari tops the names circulated in social media and party circles followed by former Union Minister Jitin Prasad, ex-MP Rajesh Mishra and former MLA Laliteshpati Tripathi.