Congress banks on Ajay Rai again in Varanasi against PM Modi; All you need to know about Ajay Rai
The Congress party unveiled its latest roster of 46 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on Saturday, marking another significant development in its election preparations.
Among the prominent names announced by the party, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has been nominated to contest from the Rajgarh Lok Sabha constituency. Additionally, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai has been fielded as the party's candidate from Varanasi, where he will face Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Ajay Rai, a seasoned politician with a strong local influence in the Varanasi region, boasts a political career marked by various party affiliations. Beginning his journey as a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party's student wing, Rai has navigated through different political alignments over the years. Notably, he secured victory in the Legislative Assembly elections from the Kolasla constituency on three consecutive occasions between 1996 and 2007 under the BJP banner.
However, Rai's departure from the BJP stemmed from being denied a Lok Sabha ticket, leading him to join the Samajwadi Party where he contested the 2009 Lok Sabha elections unsuccessfully.
Subsequently, Rai tasted success in the 2009 Legislative Assembly by-election from the Kolasla constituency as an independent candidate. In 2012, he aligned himself with the Indian National Congress, winning the Assembly elections from the newly formed Pindra constituency, which incorporated a significant portion of the erstwhile Kolasla constituency.
Rai's electoral journey also includes his candidature for the Varanasi parliamentary seat in both the 2014 and 2019 general elections, where he faced defeat against Narendra Modi.
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RCB pip CSK by two runs in last-ball IPL thriller
Bengaluru: Ayush Mhatre's 94 and Ravindra Jadeja's 77 not out went in vain as Royal Challengers Bengaluru pipped Chennai Super Kings by two runs in their IPL match here on Saturday.
Chasing 214, CSK scored 211 for 5 in their 20 overs.
Mhatre scored a 48-ball 94 with five sixes and nine fours while adding 114 runs with Jadeja (77 not out off 45 balls, 8x4s, 2x6s) for the second wicket.
For RCB, Lungi Ngidi returned with figures of 3/30.
Earlier, half-centuries from Jacob Bethell (55), Virat Kohli (62) and Romario Shepherd (53 not out) took RCB to 213 for five.
While Bethell and Kohli put on 97 runs for the opening wicket to set a platform, Shepherd blasted four fours and six sixes to make 53 not out off only 14 balls, recording the fastest fifty of the season and joint second-fastest overall.
For CSK, Matheesha Pathirana found his rhythm and lengths to return 3-0-36-3.
Brief scores:
RCB: 213 for 5 in 20 overs (Jacob Bethell 55, Virat Kohli 62, Romario Shepherd 53 not out; Matheesha Pathirana 3/36).
CSK: 211 for 5 in 20 overs (Ayush Mhatre 94, Ravindra Jadeja 77 not out; Lungi Ngidi 3/30).
