Homecoming For Former Odisha CM Giridhar Gamang & Family! Process On For Return To Congress

Bhubaneswar: Over six months after he joined Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in Hyderabad, veteran tribal leader and former Odisha chief minister Giridhar Gamang, along with his wife and son, appears all set to return Congress.

According to sources, his son Sishir met Odisha in charge of Congress A Chellakumar in New Delhi on Wednesday. Talks were held regarding return of Giridhar Gamang, his wife Hemabati and son Sishir to Congress.

Sishir was quoted by TNIE as saying that his family members want to return to Congress and had a discussion with Chellakumar in this regard. The discussion apparently ended on a positive note and steps are likely to be taken for the return of Gamang family.

If everything moves as per plan, the joining ceremony may be held later this month in New Delhi in the presence of senior Congress leaders.

After quitting BJP, the Gamang family had joined BRS at Hyderabad in the presence of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on January 27. However, with the BRS undecided over its electoral plans in Odisha, they have now made up their mind to be back in Congress. BRS is also yet to launch the membership drive in Odisha and announce state office bearers.

Also a former Union Minister, Giridhar Gamang had last contested from the Koraput Lok Sabha constituency in the 2014 elections as a Congress candidate and lost to Jhina Hikaka of the BJD. A nine-time MP from the seat between 1972 and 2004, he had quit Congress in 2015 and joined BJP along with his son.

Both Giridhar Gamang and his son resigned from the primary membership of the BJP on January 25 and joined the BRS two days later.