An alleged confrontation at the Uttar Pradesh Congress office involving women functionaries and former state president Ajay Rai’s supporters has put the party’s efforts to promote women in leadership and expand its Dalit outreach under scrutiny ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.The incident on Sunday — which saw abuses being directed at women functionaries and footwear being hurled — has caused unease within the party. The controversy comes as the Congress seeks to project organisational change under its new state president Aradhana Misra Mona and broaden its social base through leaders such as All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam.According to party leaders, the reported confrontation took place before Misra and newly appointed working president Imran Masood reached the office to formally take charge.Read | Alliance or revival? Why Congress faces a deep dilemma in Uttar PradeshThe visuals also show people accompanying Rai speaking aggressively during an exchange with Masood, who appeared to be trying to calm the former state president.The social factorThe episode has acquired added significance as Mamta Chaudhary, president of the state Mahila Congress’s central zone and a Dalit leader, was at the centre of the altercation. Party leaders said Chaudhary had served as a corporator for four terms and has had run-ins with Rai in the past.“Even if there was some provocation from some women workers, the situation could have been handled differently rather than hurling abuses at women, especially when it was known that cameras were recording the incident,” a party leader said.Read | 2027 first: Why Congress walked away from UP MLC polls after a year’s prep“With elections approaching, the episode has given fresh ammunition to the BJP. Many BJP-affiliated social media accounts have been posting the video. We will certainly have some explaining to do, considering that she (Chaudhary) hails from a Dalit community,” the leader said.‘Damage control’Story continues below this adThe AICC has constituted a fact-finding committee headed by former UP Congress president Brijlal Khabri, a prominent Dalit leader, to investigate the incident. Khabri, a former BSP leader, told The Indian Express that the committee would submit its report within a week.Read | SP-Cong seat-sharing yet to take shape, Bihar-based VIP starts UP poll campaignKhabri said he would begin the inquiry at the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) office and speak to those present during the confrontation, particularly those considered neutral. The report, he said, would be based on these interactions.“We will prepare a neutral report and submit it to the Pradesh Congress Committee. We are not concerned with who is involved or what position they hold. We will mention the names of those found responsible for the mistakes. Taking action against them is the party’s responsibility,” he said.Allegations fly thick and fastEven as the committee prepares to establish the sequence of events, leaders close to both sides have accused each other of orchestrating a “planned” move, bringing factional divisions within the state unit into sharper focus.Story continues below this adLeaders close to Misra maintain Rai was supposed to travel with her and Congress MP Pramod Tiwari from their residence to the party office. Instead, they allege, Rai directly went to the PCC office with a large number of supporters, triggering the confrontation.The Rai camp alleges that his “humiliation” was planned and has demanded action against those responsible.Khabri’s appointment to head the committee is significant given the social and political dimensions of the controversy. The findings, and the action that may follow, could provide an early test of the new state leadership’s ability to manage factional tensions and establish accountability in the organisation.A strong base in VaranasiRai served as UP Congress president for around three years before being replaced by Misra. He has a strong base in Varanasi and previously represented the Pindra Assembly constituency. In recent years, he has gained national prominence for contesting against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Varanasi. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Rai reduced Modi’s victory margin compared with 2019, giving the Congress a more visible presence in a constituency that has remained a BJP stronghold.Story continues below this adHis political standing makes the latest confrontation particularly sensitive for the party.The challenge is particularly daunting in Uttar Pradesh, where the Congress has just two MLAs in the 403-member Assembly. After improving its performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as part of the INDIA bloc, the party is seeking to translate that recovery into a durable political presence ahead of the 2027 Assembly polls.For the new leadership, the task is not merely to contain the fallout from an internal confrontation. It must also demonstrate that its stated commitment to women’s representation and social inclusion is reflected in the functioning of the organisation.