Raj Babbar Appointed Uttar Pradesh Congress Chief

Actor-turned-politician Raj Babbar has been given charge of the Congress in Uttar Pradesh as the state unit chief ahead of crucial assembly elections to be held early next year. Mr Babbar is a Congress spokesperson and represents Uttarakhand in the Rajya Sabha. He was earlier a member of the Samajwadi Party and joined the Congress some years ago, famously defeating Dimple Yadav, the wife of UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, in a by poll in 2009.