Badlav ki aandhi hai, jiska naam Priyanka Gandhi: Chief of UP Congress Ajay Lallu

Ajay Kumar Lallu, the chief of the Uttar Pradesh Congress, stated that the grand old party could contest the state assembly elections in 2022 without forming an alliance with the SP or BSP.

In an interview with PTI, Lallu said the Congress has emerged as the main challenger to the "oppressive" UP government and claimed that his party with just five legislators has proven to be a more effective opposition than the Samajwadi Party (SP) which has 49 MLAs in the 403-member assembly.

He said "winds of change" were blowing in the state and added, "Badlav ki aandhi hai, jiska naam Priyanka Gandhi hai (There is a storm of change and its name is Priyanka Gandhi)." The UP Congress chief asserted that the Congress organisation has been strengthened at various levels in the state under Priyanka Gandhi's leadership.

He also said the Congress would fight the assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh next year under Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's "dekh-rekh (supervision)", and that under her leadership, the party would make a comeback in the state after over three decades.

His statement comes following days after the SP and the BSP said they will not form any major coalitions for the UP Assembly elections.