Bhubaneswar, July 3: The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) held a meeting of its Political Affairs Committee (PAC) at Congress Bhavan on Friday to mark the first visit of the newly appointed All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge for Odisha.
The meeting focused on strengthening the party organisation, enforcing discipline, and formulating a strategy to expand the Congress' political presence in the state.
Addressing the gathering, AICC Odisha in-charge Lalji Desai stressed that the party would function with strict organisational discipline.
He stated that all decisions would be taken under the guidance of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president and that no leader, irrespective of seniority, would be above the party's organisational structure.
He also underlined the importance of grassroots engagement, saying that every leader must actively work among the people.
Outlining the party's future course of action, Desai launched a strong attack on the BJP government and alleged that despite Odisha's vast mineral wealth, companies from outside the state were earning enormous profits while thousands of Odia youth were being forced to migrate to states such as Gujarat and others in search of employment.
He asserted that the Congress would prioritise protecting Odisha's pride and interests and would first seek to win the trust of the people before focusing on electoral success.
Desai further announced that the Congress would launch sustained statewide agitations against the BJP government.
Senior Congress leader Niranjan Patnaik said that the Congress would have to work tirelessly to fill the political vacuum emerging in Odisha.
