Bhubaneswar: With Lok Sabha and Odisha Assembly elections fast approaching, Congress is gearing up to strengthen the organisation in the state by bringing back many leaders, who had deserted the party.
Several such leaders are likely stage a come-back to the grand old party during the forthcoming two-day visit of AICC’s Odisha in-charge Ajoy Kumar to the state. While Kumar is slated to reach the state on January 6, several leaders are likely to return to the party fold the on January 7.
According to sources, veteran tribal leader and former Chief Minister Giridhar Gamang and his wife Hemabati Gamang are all set to return to the party following a green signal from the AICC.
While both were keen to join the party in the presence of the high-command in Delhi, Hema Gamang said that she would rejoin Congress on January 7. “I will join the Congress party on January 7,” she told media, claiming that Congress will win 80 seats in Odisha. She had left the Congress to join BJD in 2014 and later quit the regional party.
It is also not clear whether their son Sishir Gamang would join the party in Bhubaneswar on January 7 or in New Delhi. Sishir had contested the Assembly polls from Gunupur as Congress candidate in 2009 and as BJP nominee in 2019. Return of Gamang family is likely to boost the Congress prospects in the tribal belt in south Odisha.
Similarly, former MP Sanjay Bhoi, who had won the Lok Sabha election from Bargarh in 2009, is also expected to return to the grand old party. Bhoi had quit Congress and joined BJP in the run up to the by-election to Padampur Assembly constituency in 2022. As per sources, his return to the party fold is being facilitated by OPCC president Sarat Pattanayak and AICC. Bhoi is stated to have agreed to the proposal.
Former Union Minister Srikant Jena, who was expelled by the party, is also stated to have softened his approach towards Congress. He has reportedly praised Rahul Gandhi on a host of issues relating to tribals, Dalits and backward classes. Even after his expulsion from the party, Jena has never made any adverse remarks against Congress. It is said that the former Union Minister is waiting for Congress to revoke his expulsion.
This apart, former Koraput MLA Krushna Chandra Sagaria is also expected to return to Congress fold and all formalities have reportedly been completed in Delhi in this regard.
