Congress has fielded Ajay Rai against PM Narendra Modi in Varanasi for Lok Saha elections. However, this will be the second time when Ajay Rai will contest against Modi from Varanasi. Even in 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Ajay Rai was Congress candidate from Varanasi, but could not beat Modi, and he won with a large margin.
Looking into his political career, Ajay Rai is a five-time MLA from the holy city. Ajay Rai had previously been a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Samajwadi Party (SP) before joining the Congress. He has also contested the assembly elections as an Independent candidate from Varanasi.
In this uphill task of defeating Narendra Modi, Congress is once again banking on a grassroots man who has a strong Varanasi connect.
Ajay started his political journey from college, and was BJP’s student’s wing leader and later he defeated nine-time MLA from the Kolasla seat.
He quit the party in 2009 after BJP fielded Murli Manohar Joshi from the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat.
In 2015, Rai was arrested for causing violence and arson in Varanasi during a ban on idol immersion in Ganga.
However, now the speculations have been put to rest and it is clear that Priyanka Gandhi is not going to contest Lok Sabha elections against Modi from Varanasi.