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div:not(.notheme){background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media(min-width:640px){body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table{display:table!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>caption{display:table-caption!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>tbody{display:table-row-group}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table tr{display:table-row!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table th,body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table td{padding-left:inherit;padding-right:inherit}}</style><table class="infobox vcard"><tbody><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-above" style="font-size: 100%;"><div class="fn" style="font-size:125%;">Ajay Rai</div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-image"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Ajay_Rai_Varanasi.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/93/Ajay_Rai_Varanasi.jpg/200px-Ajay_Rai_Varanasi.jpg" decoding="async" width="200" height="218" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/93/Ajay_Rai_Varanasi.jpg/300px-Ajay_Rai_Varanasi.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/93/Ajay_Rai_Varanasi.jpg/400px-Ajay_Rai_Varanasi.jpg 2x" data-file-width="866" data-file-height="942" /></a></span><div class="infobox-caption" style="line-height:normal;padding-top:0.2em;">Rai in 2024</div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1257001546"></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header" style="color: #202122; background:lavender;line-height:normal;padding:0.2em;"><a href="/wiki/Uttar_Pradesh_Congress_Committee" title="Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee">President of Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee</a></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data" style="border-bottom:none"><div class="skin-nightmode-reset-color" style="width:100%; margin:0; color: black; background-color: lavender"><b><a href="/wiki/Incumbent" title="Incumbent">Incumbent</a></b></div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data" style="border-bottom:none"><span class="nowrap"><b>Assumed office</b></span> <br />17 August 2023</td><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1257001546"></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="text-align:left"><span class="nowrap">Preceded by</span></th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/Brijlal_Khabri" title="Brijlal Khabri">Brijlal Khabri</a></td><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1257001546"></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header" style="color: #202122; background:lavender;line-height:normal;padding:0.2em;"><a href="/wiki/Member_of_the_Legislative_Assembly_(India)" title="Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)">Member</a> of <a href="/wiki/Uttar_Pradesh_Legislative_Assembly" title="Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly">Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly</a></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data" style="border-bottom:none"><span class="nowrap"><b>In office</b></span><br />2012–2017</td><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1257001546"></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="text-align:left"><span class="nowrap">Preceded by</span></th><td class="infobox-data"><i>constituency established</i></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="text-align:left"><span class="nowrap">Succeeded by</span></th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/Avadhesh_Singh" title="Avadhesh Singh">Avadhesh Singh</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="text-align:left">Constituency</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/Pindra_(Assembly_constituency)" class="mw-redirect" title="Pindra (Assembly constituency)">Pindra</a></td><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1257001546"></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data" style="border-bottom:none"><span class="nowrap"><b>In office</b></span><br />1996–2011</td><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1257001546"></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="text-align:left"><span class="nowrap">Preceded by</span></th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/Udal_(CPI-M_politician)" class="mw-redirect" title="Udal (CPI-M politician)">Udal</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="text-align:left"><span class="nowrap">Succeeded by</span></th><td class="infobox-data"><i>constituency dissolved</i></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="text-align:left">Constituency</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/Kolasla_(Vidhan_Sabha_constituency)" class="mw-redirect" title="Kolasla (Vidhan Sabha constituency)">Kolasla</a></td></tr><tr style="display:none"><td colspan="2"> </td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header" style="color: #202122; background:lavender">Personal details</th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Born</th><td class="infobox-data"><span style="display:none"> (<span class="bday">1969-10-07</span>) </span>7 October 1969<span class="noprint ForceAgeToShow"> (age 55)</span><br /><a href="/wiki/Varanasi" title="Varanasi">Varanasi</a>, <a href="/wiki/Uttar_Pradesh" title="Uttar Pradesh">Uttar Pradesh</a>, India</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Political party</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/Indian_National_Congress" title="Indian National Congress">Indian National Congress</a> (2012–present)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Other political<br />affiliations</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/Bharatiya_Janata_Party" title="Bharatiya Janata Party">Bharatiya Janata Party</a><br />(1996–2009)<br /><a href="/wiki/Samajwadi_Party" title="Samajwadi Party">Samajwadi Party</a><br /> (2009-2012)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Spouse</th><td class="infobox-data">Reena Rai</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Residence(s)</th><td class="infobox-data label">Maldahiya, <a href="/wiki/Varanasi" title="Varanasi">Varanasi</a>, Uttar Pradesh, India</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label"><a href="/wiki/Alma_mater" title="Alma mater">Alma mater</a></th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/Mahatma_Gandhi_Kashi_Vidyapeeth" class="mw-redirect" title="Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth">Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-below" style="border-top: 1px solid right;"><div></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <p><b>Ajay Rai</b> (born 7 October 1969) is an Indian politician and a member of the <a href="/wiki/Indian_National_Congress" title="Indian National Congress">Indian National Congress</a> since 2012. He is a five-time <a href="/wiki/Member_of_Legislative_Assembly" class="mw-redirect" title="Member of Legislative Assembly">MLA</a> from Uttar Pradesh. He is the current Uttar Pradesh Congress chief.<sup id="cite_ref-who_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-who-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>A local <a href="/wiki/Strongman_(politics)" class="mw-redirect" title="Strongman (politics)">strongman</a> in the <a href="/wiki/Varanasi_district" title="Varanasi district">Varanasi</a> area, Rai has changed his party affiliations several times. He began his political career as a member of the <a href="/wiki/Bharatiya_Janata_Party" title="Bharatiya Janata Party">Bharatiya Janata Party</a>'s student wing. He won the <a href="/wiki/Uttar_Pradesh_Legislative_Assembly" title="Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly">Legislative Assembly</a> elections from the Kolasla constituency three times in a row between 1996 and 2007 on a <a href="/wiki/BJP" class="mw-redirect" title="BJP">BJP</a> ticket. He left the party after being denied a <a href="/wiki/Lok_Sabha" title="Lok Sabha">Lok Sabha</a> ticket. He then joined the <a href="/wiki/Samajwadi_Party" title="Samajwadi Party">Samajwadi Party</a> and unsuccessfully contested the <a href="/wiki/2009_Indian_general_election" title="2009 Indian general election">2009 Lok Sabha elections</a>. Subsequently, he won the 2009 Legislative Assembly by-election from the Kolasla constituency as an <a href="/wiki/Independent_(politician)" class="mw-redirect" title="Independent (politician)">independent</a>. He joined the <a href="/wiki/Indian_National_Congress" title="Indian National Congress">Indian National Congress</a> in 2012. After the <a href="/wiki/Kolasla_(Vidhan_Sabha_constituency)" class="mw-redirect" title="Kolasla (Vidhan Sabha constituency)">Kolasla constituency</a> ceased to exist post-delimitation, he won the <a href="/wiki/2012_Uttar_Pradesh_Legislative_Assembly_election" title="2012 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly election">2012 Assembly elections</a> from the newly created <a href="/wiki/Pindra_(Assembly_constituency)" class="mw-redirect" title="Pindra (Assembly constituency)">Pindra constituency</a>, which comprises a sizeable portion of the former <a href="/wiki/Kolasla_(Vidhan_Sabha_constituency)" class="mw-redirect" title="Kolasla (Vidhan Sabha constituency)">Kolasla constituency</a>. </p><p>He was the Congress candidate for the <a href="/wiki/Varanasi_Lok_Sabha_constituency" title="Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency">Varanasi</a> parliament seat in the 2014, 2019, and 2024 general elections, and lost to <a href="/wiki/Narendra_Modi" title="Narendra Modi">Narendra Modi</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-eci2014_2-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-eci2014-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-who_1-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-who-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-:0_4-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Early_life_and_education">Early life and education</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ajay_Rai&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Early life and education"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Ajay Rai was born in Varanasi to Parvati Devi Rai and Surendra Rai in a <a href="/wiki/Bhumihar_Brahmin" class="mw-redirect" title="Bhumihar Brahmin">Bhumihar Brahmin</a> family who were natives of <a href="/wiki/Ghazipur_district" title="Ghazipur district">Ghazipur district</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> He graduated from the Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith University in 1989.<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Political_career">Political career</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ajay_Rai&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Political career"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Bharatiya_Janata_Party_(BJP)"><span id="Bharatiya_Janata_Party_.28BJP.29"></span>Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ajay_Rai&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Rai began his political career as a member of the BJP's youth wing.<sup id="cite_ref-TheHindu_outsider_2014_7-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-TheHindu_outsider_2014-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> According to <i><a href="/wiki/The_Indian_Express" title="The Indian Express">The Indian Express</a></i>, he was known as a local <i>bahubali</i> (strongman) and is a <a href="/wiki/History-sheeter" title="History-sheeter">history-sheeter</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-IE_Act_2009_8-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-IE_Act_2009-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>He became an associate of Brijesh Singh, after his elder brother Awadhesh Rai was shot dead in Lahurabir area, allegedly by <a href="/wiki/Mukhtar_Ansari" title="Mukhtar Ansari">Mukhtar Ansari</a> and his men in 1994. Earlier, he had been associated with Brijesh Singh and Tribhuvan Singh since 1989.<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In 1991, his name had figured in an attack on the Anil Singh, the deputy mayor of Varanasi. In his <a href="/wiki/First_Information_Report" class="mw-redirect" title="First Information Report">FIR</a>, Anil Singh stated that Ajay Rai and others had fired at his jeep in the Cantonment area on 20 August 1991.<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Rai was later cleared of all charges in the case.<sup id="cite_ref-IE_Act_2009_8-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-IE_Act_2009-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In 1996, Rai contested the <a href="/wiki/Vidhan_Sabha" class="mw-redirect" title="Vidhan Sabha">Vidhan Sabha</a> elections from the Kolasla seat on a BJP ticket. He defeated the nine-time <a href="/wiki/Communist_Party_of_India" title="Communist Party of India">CPI</a> MLA <a href="/wiki/Udal_(CPI-M_politician)" class="mw-redirect" title="Udal (CPI-M politician)">Udal</a> by a narrow margin of 484 votes. He went on to retain the seat in the 2002 and 2007 elections, defeating Awadhesh Singh of <a href="/wiki/Bahujan_Samaj_Party" title="Bahujan Samaj Party">Bahujan Samaj Party</a> (BSP) by much larger margins. A <a href="/wiki/Bhumihar" title="Bhumihar">Bhumihar Brahmin</a> himself,<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> he relied on the <a href="/wiki/Bhumihar" title="Bhumihar">Bhumihar Brahmin</a> and <a href="/wiki/Brahmin" title="Brahmin">Brahmin</a> <a href="/wiki/Vote_bank" class="mw-redirect" title="Vote bank">vote banks</a> in the Kolasla constituency.<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Samajwadi_Party_(SP)"><span id="Samajwadi_Party_.28SP.29"></span>Samajwadi Party (SP)</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ajay_Rai&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Samajwadi Party (SP)"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>In 2007, Rai denied the rumours that he was planning to join the <a href="/wiki/Samajwadi_Party" title="Samajwadi Party">Samajwadi Party</a> (SP), stating that the SP was responsible for "all the ills plaguing the State".<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> However, in 2009, he resigned as an MLA, after BJP refused to give him a ticket for contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Varanasi. He then joined SP, and contested the elections against BJP's <a href="/wiki/Murli_Manohar_Joshi" title="Murli Manohar Joshi">Murli Manohar Joshi</a>. He lost the elections, getting the third highest number of votes after Joshi and Mukhtaar Ansari. His supporters allegedly campaigned for Joshi to ensure the defeat of his arch-rival Mukhtar Ansari in a communally-polarized environment.<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Independent">Independent</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ajay_Rai&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Independent"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>After losing the Lok Sabha elections, he contested the Kolasla by-elections as an independent.<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> He alleged that BSP had pressurised him to join the party, and when he refused, his security cover was reduced.<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> During the campaigning, he accused some police officers of pressurising his supporters to work for the candidate of the ruling BSP. When he protested against the alleged harassment, he and seven of his supporters were arrested.<sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Rai won the by-elections.<sup id="cite_ref-IndiaTV_drubbing_19-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-IndiaTV_drubbing-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In 2010, Rai staged a sit-in to protest the arrest of the local corporator Sanjay Singh and his associate Jitin Jha. The two had been arrested for assaulting and robbing a hotel owner. After Rai refused to end his protest, he and his supporters were arrested.<sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Indian_National_Congress_(INC)"><span id="Indian_National_Congress_.28INC.29"></span>Indian National Congress (INC)</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ajay_Rai&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Indian National Congress (INC)"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>After the Kolasla constituency ceased to exist post-delimitation, Rai won from the <a href="/wiki/2012_Uttar_Pradesh_Legislative_Assembly_election" title="2012 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly election">2012 Assembly elections</a> from the new <a href="/wiki/Pindra_(Assembly_constituency)" class="mw-redirect" title="Pindra (Assembly constituency)">Pindra</a> constituency, which comprises a sizeable portion of the former Kolasla constituency. He routed the BJP candidate, who received just 3,000 votes.<sup id="cite_ref-TheHindu_outsider_2014_7-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-TheHindu_outsider_2014-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> When he contested the 2012 elections, Rai was an accused in 16 criminal cases, and was booked under the Gangster Act and <a href="/wiki/Goonda" title="Goonda">Goonda</a> Act. According to him, he had been framed in four cases by the <a href="/wiki/Bahujan_Samaj_Party" title="Bahujan Samaj Party">Bahujan Samaj Party</a> regime, while other cases were "mostly over".<sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Rai was the Congress candidate in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Varanasi. He lost to BJP's prime-ministerial nominee <a href="/wiki/Narendra_Modi" title="Narendra Modi">Narendra Modi</a>, coming third after <a href="/wiki/Arvind_Kejriwal" title="Arvind Kejriwal">Arvind Kejriwal</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-eci2014_2-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-eci2014-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>On 5 October 2015, Rai was arrested for his alleged role in the violence and arson in <a href="/wiki/Varanasi" title="Varanasi">Varanasi</a> during a march by seers and other local leaders against police action on protesters opposing ban on immersion of <a href="/wiki/Ganesha" title="Ganesha">Ganesha</a> idols in the <a href="/wiki/Ganges" title="Ganges">Ganga river.</a><sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-22"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> He was released 7 months later, when the Allahabad High Court granted him bail.<sup id="cite_ref-23" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In 2017, Rai lost <a href="/wiki/2017_Uttar_Pradesh_Legislative_Assembly_election" title="2017 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly election">Uttar Pradesh state elections</a> from Pindra as a Congress candidate.<sup id="cite_ref-FP_Pindra_2017_24-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FP_Pindra_2017-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Since then, he has participated in protests against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Varanasi city. </p><p>In 2019, Rai lost the Lok Sabha Elections from Varanasi constituency as a Congress candidate against <a href="/wiki/Narendra_Modi" title="Narendra Modi">Narendra Modi</a>, securing third place.<sup id="cite_ref-businesstoday_25-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-businesstoday-25"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>25<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In 2024, Rai lost the Lok Sabha Elections from <a href="/wiki/Varanasi_Lok_Sabha_constituency" title="Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency">Varanasi</a> constituency as a Congress candidate against <a href="/wiki/Narendra_Modi" title="Narendra Modi">Narendra Modi</a>, securing second place.<sup id="cite_ref-:0_4-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> But Narendra Modi's majority decreased to 152,513 votes.<sup id="cite_ref-:0_4-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-26" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-26"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>26<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Electoral_record">Electoral record</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ajay_Rai&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Electoral record"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <table class="wikitable"> <tbody><tr> <th>Year </th> <th>Election </th> <th colspan="2">Party </th> <th>Constituency Name </th> <th>Result </th> <th>Votes gained </th> <th>Vote share% </th> <th>Margin </th></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/1996_Uttar_Pradesh_Legislative_Assembly_election" title="1996 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly election">1996</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Uttar_Pradesh_Legislative_Assembly" title="Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly">13th UP Assembly</a> </td> <td rowspan="3" bgcolor="#FF9933"> </td> <td rowspan="3"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Lotus_flower_symbol.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/29/Lotus_flower_symbol.svg/75px-Lotus_flower_symbol.svg.png" decoding="async" width="75" height="73" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/29/Lotus_flower_symbol.svg/113px-Lotus_flower_symbol.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/29/Lotus_flower_symbol.svg/150px-Lotus_flower_symbol.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="340" data-file-height="330" /></a></span> <a href="/wiki/Bharatiya_Janata_Party" title="Bharatiya Janata Party">Bharatiya Janata Party</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Kolasla_(Vidhan_Sabha_constituency)" class="mw-redirect" title="Kolasla (Vidhan Sabha constituency)">Kolasla</a> </td> <td style="background: #9EFF9E; color: #000; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center;" class="yes table-yes2 notheme">Won </td> <td>38,352 </td> <td>26.67% </td> <td>488 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/2002_Uttar_Pradesh_Legislative_Assembly_election" title="2002 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly election">2002</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Uttar_Pradesh_Legislative_Assembly" title="Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly">14th UP Assembly</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Kolasla_(Vidhan_Sabha_constituency)" class="mw-redirect" title="Kolasla (Vidhan Sabha constituency)">Kolasla</a> </td> <td style="background: #9EFF9E; color: #000; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center;" class="yes table-yes2 notheme">Won </td> <td>56,454 </td> <td>37.54% </td> <td>15,268 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/2007_Uttar_Pradesh_Legislative_Assembly_election" title="2007 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly election">2007</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Uttar_Pradesh_Legislative_Assembly" title="Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly">15th UP Assembly</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Kolasla_(Vidhan_Sabha_constituency)" class="mw-redirect" title="Kolasla (Vidhan Sabha constituency)">Kolasla</a> </td> <td style="background: #9EFF9E; color: #000; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center;" class="yes table-yes2 notheme">Won </td> <td>41,935 </td> <td>28.27% </td> <td>4,956 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/2009_Indian_general_election" title="2009 Indian general election">2009</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/15th_Lok_Sabha" title="15th Lok Sabha">15th Lok Sabha</a> </td> <td bgcolor="#FF2222"> </td> <td><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Indian_Election_Symbol_Cycle.png" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b2/Indian_Election_Symbol_Cycle.png/75px-Indian_Election_Symbol_Cycle.png" decoding="async" width="75" height="75" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b2/Indian_Election_Symbol_Cycle.png/113px-Indian_Election_Symbol_Cycle.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b2/Indian_Election_Symbol_Cycle.png/150px-Indian_Election_Symbol_Cycle.png 2x" data-file-width="300" data-file-height="300" /></a></span> <a href="/wiki/Samajwadi_Party" title="Samajwadi Party">Samajwadi Party</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Varanasi_(Lok_Sabha_constituency)" class="mw-redirect" title="Varanasi (Lok Sabha constituency)">Varanasi</a> </td> <td style="background:#FFC7C7; color:black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center;" class="table-no">Lost </td> <td>123,874 </td> <td>18.61% </td> <td>79,248 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/2007_Uttar_Pradesh_Legislative_Assembly_election" title="2007 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly election">2009 (Bye-election)</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Uttar_Pradesh_Legislative_Assembly" title="Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly">15th UP Assembly</a> </td> <td bgcolor="#DCDCDC"> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Independent_politician" title="Independent politician">Independent</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Kolasla_(Vidhan_Sabha_constituency)" class="mw-redirect" title="Kolasla (Vidhan Sabha constituency)">Kolasla</a> </td> <td style="background: #9EFF9E; color: #000; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center;" class="yes table-yes2 notheme">Won </td> <td>43,711 </td> <td>27.50% </td> <td>8,837 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/2012_Uttar_Pradesh_Legislative_Assembly_election" title="2012 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly election">2012</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Uttar_Pradesh_Legislative_Assembly" title="Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly">16th Uttar Pradesh Assembly</a> </td> <td rowspan="6" bgcolor="#00BFFF"> </td> <td rowspan="6"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Hand_INC.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d7/Hand_INC.svg/75px-Hand_INC.svg.png" decoding="async" width="75" height="67" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d7/Hand_INC.svg/113px-Hand_INC.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d7/Hand_INC.svg/150px-Hand_INC.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="538" data-file-height="478" /></a></span> <a href="/wiki/Indian_National_Congress" title="Indian National Congress">Indian National Congress</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Pindra_(Assembly_constituency)" class="mw-redirect" title="Pindra (Assembly constituency)">Pindra</a> </td> <td style="background: #9EFF9E; color: #000; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center;" class="yes table-yes2 notheme">Won </td> <td>52,863 </td> <td>29.31% </td> <td>9,218 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/2014_Indian_general_election" title="2014 Indian general election">2014</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/16th_Lok_Sabha" title="16th Lok Sabha">16th Lok Sabha</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Varanasi_(Lok_Sabha_constituency)" class="mw-redirect" title="Varanasi (Lok Sabha constituency)">Varanasi</a> </td> <td style="background:#FFC7C7; color:black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center;" class="table-no">Lost </td> <td>75,614 </td> <td>7.34% </td> <td>5,05,408 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/2017_Uttar_Pradesh_Legislative_Assembly_election" title="2017 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly election">2017</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Uttar_Pradesh_Legislative_Assembly" title="Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly">17th UP Assembly</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Pindra_(Assembly_constituency)" class="mw-redirect" title="Pindra (Assembly constituency)">Pindra</a> </td> <td style="background:#FFC7C7; color:black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center;" class="table-no">Lost </td> <td>48,189 </td> <td>23.58% </td> <td>42,425 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/2019_Indian_general_election" title="2019 Indian general election">2019</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/17th_Lok_Sabha" title="17th Lok Sabha">17th Lok Sabha</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Varanasi_(Lok_Sabha_constituency)" class="mw-redirect" title="Varanasi (Lok Sabha constituency)">Varanasi</a> </td> <td style="background:#FFC7C7; color:black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center;" class="table-no">Lost </td> <td>152,548 </td> <td>14.38% </td> <td>5,22,116 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/2022_Uttar_Pradesh_Legislative_Assembly_election" title="2022 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly election">2022</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Uttar_Pradesh_Legislative_Assembly" title="Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly">18th UP Assembly</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Pindra_(Assembly_constituency)" class="mw-redirect" title="Pindra (Assembly constituency)">Pindra</a> </td> <td style="background:#FFC7C7; color:black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center;" class="table-no">Lost </td> <td>48,248 </td> <td>21.88% </td> <td>36,077 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/2024_Indian_general_election" title="2024 Indian general election">2024</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/18th_Lok_Sabha" title="18th Lok Sabha">18th Lok Sabha</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Varanasi_(Lok_Sabha_constituency)" class="mw-redirect" title="Varanasi (Lok Sabha constituency)">Varanasi</a> </td> <td style="background:#FFC7C7; color:black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center;" class="table-no">Lost </td> <td>460,457 </td> <td>40.74% </td> <td>152,513 </td></tr></tbody></table> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ajay_Rai&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist reflist-columns references-column-width reflist-columns-2"> <ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-who-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-who_1-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-who_1-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.financialexpress.com/elections/who-is-ajay-rai-a-history-sheeter-he-lost-to-modi-by-5-lakh-votes-in-2014-lok-sabha-election/1559091/">Who is Ajay Rai? A history-sheeter, he lost to Modi by 5 lakh votes in 2014 Lok Sabha election</a>, The Financial Express (April 25, 2019)</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-eci2014-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-eci2014_2-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-eci2014_2-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140518055454/http://eciresults.nic.in/ConstituencywiseS2477.htm?ac=77">"Constituency-wise results: Varanasi"</a>. Election Commission of India. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://eciresults.nic.in/ConstituencywiseS2477.htm?ac=77">the original</a> on 18 May 2014<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">17 May</span> 2014</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Constituency-wise+results%3A+Varanasi&rft.pub=Election+Commission+of+India&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Feciresults.nic.in%2FConstituencywiseS2477.htm%3Fac%3D77&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAjay+Rai" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/lok-sabha-2019/story/priyanka-gandhi-narendra-modi-varanasi-congress-candidate-lok-sabha-elections-ajay-rai-1509775-2019-04-25">No Priyanka Gandhi vs Narendra Modi faceoff in Varanasi, Congress fields Ajay Rai</a>, India Today (April 25, 2019)</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-:0-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-:0_4-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:0_4-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:0_4-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1 cs1-prop-foreign-lang-source"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.manoramaonline.com/premium/news-plus/2024/06/07/ajay-rai-s-impact-on-up-elections-shaking-modi-s-stronghold-despite-defeat.html">"യുപിയിൽ മോദിയെ വിറപ്പിച്ച 'ലോക്കൽ ബോയ്'; തോറ്റിട്ടും അജയ് റായ് ബാഹുബലി; '24x7 ജനങ്ങള്‍ക്കൊപ്പം'<span class="cs1-kern-right"></span>"</a>. <i><a href="/wiki/Malayala_Manorama" title="Malayala Manorama">Malayala Manorama</a></i> (in Malayalam)<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">10 June</span> 2024</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Malayala+Manorama&rft.atitle=%E0%B4%AF%E0%B5%81%E0%B4%AA%E0%B4%BF%E0%B4%AF%E0%B4%BF%E0%B5%BD+%E0%B4%AE%E0%B5%8B%E0%B4%A6%E0%B4%BF%E0%B4%AF%E0%B5%86+%E0%B4%B5%E0%B4%BF%E0%B4%B1%E0%B4%AA%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%AA%E0%B4%BF%E0%B4%9A%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%9A+%27%E0%B4%B2%E0%B5%8B%E0%B4%95%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%95%E0%B5%BD+%E0%B4%AC%E0%B5%8B%E0%B4%AF%E0%B5%8D%27%3B+%E0%B4%A4%E0%B5%8B%E0%B4%B1%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%B1%E0%B4%BF%E0%B4%9F%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%9F%E0%B5%81%E0%B4%82+%E0%B4%85%E0%B4%9C%E0%B4%AF%E0%B5%8D+%E0%B4%B1%E0%B4%BE%E0%B4%AF%E0%B5%8D+%E0%B4%AC%E0%B4%BE%E0%B4%B9%E0%B5%81%E0%B4%AC%E0%B4%B2%E0%B4%BF%3B+%2724x7+%E0%B4%9C%E0%B4%A8%E0%B4%99%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%99%E0%B4%B3%E0%B5%8D%E2%80%8D%E0%B4%95%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%95%E0%B5%8A%E0%B4%AA%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%AA%E0%B4%82%27&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.manoramaonline.com%2Fpremium%2Fnews-plus%2F2024%2F06%2F07%2Fajay-rai-s-impact-on-up-elections-shaking-modi-s-stronghold-despite-defeat.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAjay+Rai" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/congress-wants-a-brahmin-against-modi-not-digvijaya/story-In57ccbbVyTYsAVUYySIpJ.html">Congress wants a Brahmin against Modi, not Digvijaya</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140513055457/http://www.hindustantimes.com/elections2014/state-of-the-states/congress-wants-a-brahmin-against-modi-not-digvijaya/article1-1201241.aspx">Archived</a> 13 May 2014 at the <a href="/wiki/Wayback_Machine" title="Wayback Machine">Wayback Machine</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-6">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://myneta.info/loksabha2019/candidate.php?candidate_id=13673">ADR 2019 Profile</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-TheHindu_outsider_2014-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-TheHindu_outsider_2014_7-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-TheHindu_outsider_2014_7-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation news cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/its-outsider-versus-local-in-varanasi-says-ajay-rai/article5889577.ece">"It's outsider versus local in Varanasi, says Ajay Rai"</a>. <i>The Hindu</i>. 9 April 2014.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+Hindu&rft.atitle=It%27s+outsider+versus+local+in+Varanasi%2C+says+Ajay+Rai&rft.date=2014-04-09&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehindu.com%2Ftodays-paper%2Ftp-national%2Fits-outsider-versus-local-in-varanasi-says-ajay-rai%2Farticle5889577.ece&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAjay+Rai" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-IE_Act_2009-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-IE_Act_2009_8-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-IE_Act_2009_8-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation news cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/act-i-tainted-candidates-take-the-floor/438231/0">"AcT I: tainted candidates take the floor"</a>. <i>Indian Express</i>. 24 March 2009.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Indian+Express&rft.atitle=AcT+I%3A+tainted+candidates+take+the+floor&rft.date=2009-03-24&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Farchive.indianexpress.com%2Fnews%2Fact-i-tainted-candidates-take-the-floor%2F438231%2F0&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAjay+Rai" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-9">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation news cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-strongman-ajay-rai-dreads-the-420-tag-given-by-party-1978018">"Strongman Ajay Rai dreads the 420 tag given by party"</a>. <i><a href="/wiki/DNA_(newspaper)" class="mw-redirect" title="DNA (newspaper)">DNA</a></i>. 14 April 2014.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=DNA&rft.atitle=Strongman+Ajay+Rai+dreads+the+420+tag+given+by+party&rft.date=2014-04-14&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dnaindia.com%2Findia%2Freport-strongman-ajay-rai-dreads-the-420-tag-given-by-party-1978018&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAjay+Rai" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-10">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBhupendra_Pandey2009" class="citation news cs1">Bhupendra Pandey (20 March 2009). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/varanasi-polls-get-more-sensitive/436881/0">"Varanasi polls get more sensitive"</a>. <i>Indian Express</i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Indian+Express&rft.atitle=Varanasi+polls+get+more+sensitive&rft.date=2009-03-20&rft.au=Bhupendra+Pandey&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Farchive.indianexpress.com%2Fnews%2Fvaranasi-polls-get-more-sensitive%2F436881%2F0&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAjay+Rai" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-11">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBhupendra_Pandey2009" class="citation news cs1">Bhupendra Pandey (12 September 2009). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/5-cases-20-days-up-don-acquitted-as-witnesses-cops-turn-hostile/516287/0">"5 cases, 20 days, UP don acquitted as witnesses, cops turn hostile"</a>. <i>Indian Express</i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Indian+Express&rft.atitle=5+cases%2C+20+days%2C+UP+don+acquitted+as+witnesses%2C+cops+turn+hostile&rft.date=2009-09-12&rft.au=Bhupendra+Pandey&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Farchive.indianexpress.com%2Fnews%2F5-cases-20-days-up-don-acquitted-as-witnesses-cops-turn-hostile%2F516287%2F0&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAjay+Rai" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-12">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFSeema_Chishti2007" class="citation news cs1">Seema Chishti (23 April 2007). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/bjp-tieup-doesn-t-go-down-well-in-apna-dal-land/29043/0">"BJP tie-up doesn't go down well in Apna Dal land"</a>. <i>Indian Express</i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Indian+Express&rft.atitle=BJP+tie-up+doesn%27t+go+down+well+in+Apna+Dal+land&rft.date=2007-04-23&rft.au=Seema+Chishti&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Farchive.indianexpress.com%2Fnews%2Fbjp-tieup-doesn-t-go-down-well-in-apna-dal-land%2F29043%2F0&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAjay+Rai" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-13"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-13">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation news cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140416192226/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200704200313.htm">"Kolasala assembly seat heading for a big fight"</a>. <i>The Hindu</i>. 20 April 2007. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200704200313.htm">the original</a> on 16 April 2014<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">15 April</span> 2014</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+Hindu&rft.atitle=Kolasala+assembly+seat+heading+for+a+big+fight&rft.date=2007-04-20&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindu.com%2Fthehindu%2Fholnus%2F002200704200313.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAjay+Rai" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-14"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-14">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation news cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140611123959/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-1241689321.html">"No plan to join SP: BJP MLA"</a>. <i>Hindustan Times</i>. 22 March 2007. 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Firstpost<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">21 August</span> 2017</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Pindra+-+Uttar+Pradesh+Election+Result+2017+-+Party+and+Candidate+Wise+Full+Winner+List&rft.pub=Firstpost&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.firstpost.com%2Futtar-pradesh%2Fpindra-constituency-election-result-2017-24384&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAjay+Rai" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-businesstoday-25"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-businesstoday_25-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.businesstoday.in/lok-sabha-elections-2019/news/lok-sabha-election-result-2019-narendra-modi-big-lead-in-varanasi-congress-ajay-rai-trails/story/349240.html">"Ajay secured third place in 2019 Varanasi Loksabha Elections"</a>. Business Today. 23 May 2019.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Ajay+secured+third+place+in+2019+Varanasi+Loksabha+Elections.&rft.pub=Business+Today&rft.date=2019-05-23&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.businesstoday.in%2Flok-sabha-elections-2019%2Fnews%2Flok-sabha-election-result-2019-narendra-modi-big-lead-in-varanasi-congress-ajay-rai-trails%2Fstory%2F349240.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAjay+Rai" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-26"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-26">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="https://results.eci.gov.in/PcResultGenJune2024/candidateswise-S2477.htm">https://results.eci.gov.in/PcResultGenJune2024/candidateswise-S2477.htm</a> <sup class="noprint Inline-Template" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Bare_URLs" title="Wikipedia:Bare URLs"><span title="A full citation is required to prevent link rot. 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