UP Political Storm: PM Modi’s Varanasi visit sparks tensions, Congress’s Ajay Rai placed under house arrest

Lucknow: Political temperatures soared in Uttar Pradesh late Wednesday night as Congress state president Ajay Rai was placed under house arrest in Lucknow, just hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to Varanasi and a key bilateral meeting with Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth.

Ajay Rai, who had earlier announced his intention to protest against PM Modi’s visit, was detained at his residence in the Alam Bagh area under the jurisdiction of PGI police station. Security was tightened around his home as a preventive measure.

Rai has been vocal in demanding action against Uttar Pradesh minister whom he accused of obstructing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during his ongoing visit to Raebareli. He had vowed to continue protests until action was taken.

Reacting to his house arrest, Ajay Rai took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), stating, "Sending police to stop us and suppress the voices of our workers will not end this fight. It won’t save the vote thieves either." He added, "Every lion-hearted Congress worker will raise their voice from every street and village. Modi, stop stealing votes!"

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for multiple developmental projects in his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi today.

The visit also includes a high-level bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Mauritius, focusing on strategic and economic cooperation.

Meanwhile, the Congress party has turned the detention of Ajay Rai into a political flashpoint. The party has warned of statewide protests by its workers in response to what it calls "authoritarian suppression of democratic dissent".