Congress Bhawan in Bhubaneswar
Even though all the committees including the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) have been dissolved for nearly three months by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) following the debacle in the 2024 General Elections, still nobody has been appointed at the helm of the affairs in Odisha Congress.
The AICC dissolved all the committees of Odisha Congress on July 21. Though nearly three months have passed since then, it has not yet appointed the president of the State Congress. As a result, while BJP and BJD are busy collecting new members for their respective parties in full vigour, Congress has been pushed into a kind of inertia. The party is neither organising any fruitful programs nor trying to find the reasons behind their shocking defeat.
Meanwhile, speculation is rife that senior leaders like Srikant Jena, Bhakta Das, Mohammed Moquim and Jayadev Jena are leading the race to be the next president of Odisha Congress.
However, in response, Srikant Jena said that he is not in the top race and party’s central leadership will take the final decision in this regard.
“All the programmes of Congress are being conducted. The AICC is aware of the situation in the State and I think they will take the appropriate decision at the proper time. The AICC will decide whoever will take what kind of responsibilities in the party,” said Srikant.
Though Barabati-Cuttack MLA Sofia Firdous gave a statement some days back that her father is fit to be the next president of Odisha Congress, Mohammed Moquim left the ball in the AICC’s court.
“Congress needs a good leader and the AICC should give the responsibility to a worthy person who will take everybody in stride and he will be accepted by all. He should be able to take Congress back on the track. Though speculation is rife that many leaders including me are in the race, the AICC will take the final decision in this regard,” said Moquim.
As per sources, the AICC is not in a hurry and they are seriously deliberating to select the next president of the Odisha Congress after the party’s call from nine to 90 seats failed in the 2024 General Elections.
After dissolving the OPCC, a 14-member steering committee was formed on August 12 as per the direction of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge. Later, seven more members were added to the list. However, senior leader Tara Prasad Bahinipati’s name is not on the list and Bahinipati is reportedly dissatisfied with the development.
“I don’t know why there is so much of delay. It is the first instance when the Odisha Congress is functioning without a state president. Many people have written letters to Rahul Gandhi to take a decision in this regard soon. The AICC should select a worthy person for the post,” said Bahinipati.
Meanwhile, according to political analysts, this kind of strange situation has never happened in Odisha Congress earlier and the AICC is not giving the required focus to Odisha.
“As there are many leaders in the fray, the AICC is finding it difficult to rely on any particular leader. Moreover, a leader who will be accepted by all is also not emerging. If there is no leader and the party keeps functioning directionless, the future of Congress will be bleak in Odisha,” said senior journalist Prasanna Mohanty.
