Bhubaneswar: Amid the tense Rajya Sabha battle, former Congress MLA Mohammed Moquim on Sunday announced the launch of his new political party, ‘Odisha Janata Congress’, at the Exhibition Ground in Bhubaneswar on April 8.
“We are working on the symbol and flag of the new party. There has been a positive response to the idea of a fresh political platform in the state. We will serve the people through our programme against corruption and substance abuse and for empowerment of the youth,” he told a local channel.
Responding to the delay in the launch programme, he said: “We had earlier announced that the new party will be formed by March. However, since Ram Navami is falling on March 26-27, we decided to shift it to the first week of April. Our well-wishers from across the state would participate along with those who have accepted membership of the party. Membership drive and other programmes will begin tentatively on April 8.”
Moquim further stated that it will be a youth-centric party and they will be at the helm of the affairs. “The BJD and Congress have lost their relevance in the state, which is evident from their newfound bonhomie for the Rajya Sabha polls. The regional party ruled the state for 25 years fighting the Congress, but it weakened following the 2024 elections debacle. The Congress has also failed to deliver over the year,” he added.
Moquim, who represented Barabati–Cuttack in the assembly from 2019 to 2024, was expelled in December last year after publicly criticising the Congress leadership. He held a youth convention in Bhubaneswar the following month, which was widely seen as the first public step towards formalising his political alternative in Odisha while testing his organisational strength. It drew around 2,000 youth representatives from various organisations across the state, but presence of his daughter and Cuttack-Barabati MLA from Congress Sofia Firdous emerged the focal point of the gathering.
