New Delhi, Oct. 5 -- The Congress last week effected a leadership change in the party's unit in Uttar Pradesh where assembly elections are shedulded next year.

The party replaced Ajay Rai, a Bhumihar, with Aradhana Misra-Mona, a Brahmin as UP Congress Committee chief. The party also brought in its firebrand Saharanpur Member of Parliament (MP) Imran Masood as working president, apparently to broaden its reach in western Uttar Pradesh, where BJP has teamed up with the Rashtriya Lok Dal.

The party also appointed Devendra Nishad, from the extremely backward fishing community, and Dalit leader Alok Prasad as senior vice-presidents of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee.

Political analysts have dubbed the latest Congress move as a strategy...