With Ajay Kumar ‘Lallu’ already given a challenging task by Congress president Sonia Gandhi to work on the direction of an 18-member advisory council having several leaders who had openly opposed him on several occasions for which they had to face the wrath of party general secretary incharge UP East Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the first move of the outgoing Congress Legislature Party leader, of appointing two leaders as UPCC incharge (administration) on Wednesday, has created a controversy.

“How can Ajay Kumar ‘Lallu’ make appointments as UPCC president even before taking charge of the post?” asked a very senior Congress leader, who was MLA in the last Assembly.

On request of anonymity, the leader said that as per the party constitution, Lallu could give direction to a leader or perform some duty till he took charge and only after assuming office, he could issue a formal letter of appointment.

Interestingly, party spokesman Ashok Singh in his official release on Wednesday evening, also admitted that Lallu would take charge as UPCC president on Friday.

The release, however, mentioned that Lallu, as president, appointed senior leader Siddharth Priya Srivastava and Anoop Kumar Gupta as incharge (administration).

The release almost made it clear that Lallu made both appointments as UPCC chief even before he assumed charge of the office.

Sources in the party confirmed that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is well aware of resentment among senior leaders over appointment of Lallu as UPCC president so she will come to Lucknow on October 14 and stay here for at least three days to have a talk with state leaders and warn them to either work as per Lallu’s direction or be ready to face the consequences.

It may be mentioned here that before Lallu was officially appointed UPCC president, he had started exercising all power of state chief due to the blessings of Priyanka, hence many senior leaders, who are now part of advisory council, met her and raised objection at elevation of Lallu.

Sources confirmed that these leaders had to face the wrath of Priyanka, who asked what they had done for the party so far that they were now questioning her choice of UPCC president.

One of these leaders, hailing from eastern UP, had earlier opposed Lallu and almost got his name struck off from the list of party candidates for UP Assembly elections. However, Lallu somehow managed to get a ticket on the ground of being a sitting member of the Assembly and was elected for the second time.

Hence now he is getting one reward after another, first as CLP leader and now crowned as UPCC president even when he joined the Congress barely a decade back.

Meanwhile, sources said that Priyanka, during her stay in Lucknow, will hold a meeting with the newly constituted UPCC.

On Wednesday, a meeting of Congress leaders was called by newly-appointed CLP leader Aradhna Mishra `Mona’ to chalk out a plan to give a grand welcome to Lallu on his first visit to the city as UPCC president on Friday. Lallu would assume office the same day.

It is not confirmed whether outgoing UPCC president Raj Babbar will be present to hand over charge to Lallu or the formality will be completed in his absence.