Leadership crisis continues: Change of guard in Odisha Congress soon!
Published By : Prameya News Bureau | June 27, 2020 IST
Share
Bhubaneswar, June 27: Following growing resentment against Odisha Congress leadership in the party, which is struggling to regain its foothold in the state, the Central leadership is reportedly mulling over changing its guard. Party sources said that appointment of new president of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) and other office-bearers is likely in the near future as a large group of dissident Congress leaders have been openly expressing their disappointment against the state president. Many of them are demanding a change of guard in the state unit. If party sources are to be believed, Congress president Sonia Gandhi has not formed her team since she took over after her son Rahul Gandhi resigned from the post last July, owning responsibility for the Congress’ debacle in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. In the context of Odisha, amid the growing resentment against the state president and infighting following the party's serious drubbing in the 2019 general elections, the party continues to struggle with the leadership issue. Many frontline Congress leaders, including one or two sitting MLAs, are in the mood to change party if the AICC does not pay heed to their demand to change the state president. The dissident leaders are mulling to meet the AICC leadership in New Delhi to mount pressure, said a party insider. Several names have surfaced in the run for the new OPCC president including Jeypore MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati, state Congress working president Pradeep Majhi, Barabati-Cuttack MLA Mohammad Moquim, AICC members Rama Chandra Khuntia and Sarat Rout, Bhakta Charan Das and former OPCC president Sarat Patnaik. The opposition to OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik’s leadership surfaced further in the wake of the party’s dismal performance in Bijepur bypoll that secured only 5,873 votes. Earlier, the party had won three consecutive elections in Bijepur in 2004, 2009 and 2014. In fact, Niranjan had tendered resignation from the OPCC president post owning up responsibility for the party’s debacle in both Lok Sabha and Assembly elections last year as the party lost the Opposition party status for the first time in 19 years to the BJP, but the AICC did not accept his resignation.
News7 Is Now On WhatsApp Join And Get Latest News Updates Delivered To You Via WhatsApp
You Might Also Like
More From Related News
Shah gives ‘guru mantra’ to party leaders ahead of twin polls
Hockey Star Prabodh Tirkey joins BJP
Nomination process for first phase election in Odisha concludes with 30 MP candidates in fray
SOA signs MoU with Kaynes Semicon for collaboration in the realm of semiconductors
Pandian visits Koraput: Hits campaign trail for BJD candidates
Heat wave conditions in Odisha likely to persist for a week: CEC
Congress likely to field Moquim's daughter Sofia in Cuttack-Barabati assembly seat
Who will be BJD candidate from Khandapada assembly seat?
Orissa HC imposes Rs 5L fine for ‘frivolous’ plea against Ashwini Vaishnaw’s Rajya Sabha poll
Suspicious drone falls near Bargarh MP Suresh Pujari’s residence in Jharsuguda
Odisha forest dept installs 5 AI-based cameras in Similipal Tiger Reserve for prompt reporting of wildfire
Shah calls for first BJP govt in Odisha
Six wagons of goods train derail in Odisha’s Koraput
Keonjhar mangoes create place in Mumbai, Delhi markets
Forest fires continue to rage in Similipal, 28 points doused
Odisha police seeks 3 helicopters for smooth conduct of elections in Maoist areas
IMD issues heat alert for Odisha
2 Maoists killed in gunfight in Boudh
Elections 2024: HM Amit Shah to arrive in Odisha today
Know Actress-turned politician Varsha Priyadarshini, her embark as Nimki from Nimpur village to Naveen Niwas