Odisha Congress Leaders Unhappy Over Non-Inclusion In CWC

Bhubaneswar: Reconstitution of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) has sparked resentment among party leaders from Odisha as no one from the state has been included in the highest decision-making body.

Senior Congress leaders from Odisha on Monday expressed their unhappiness over the composition of the new CWC constituted by party president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday.

Though former Union Minister Bhakta Charan Das has been appointed as in-charge by the party high command, there is a feeling among the state leaders that Odisha has all along been ignored by the AICC.

Expressing unhappiness over the development, veteran Congress leader and MLA Suresh Routray told the media that gross injustice is being done to Odisha by the AICC with no one from the state being included in the CWC during the last several years. “The AICC has been neglecting, underestimating and humiliating Odisha by not giving adequate attention to the state and its leaders,” the Jatni MLA said.

The firebrand Congress leader said that he will draw the attention of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Kharge and seek justice for Odisha.

Voicing similar views, senior leader and former state Congress president Niranjan Patnaik said it appears that the AICC does not require the services of the leaders from Odisha.

Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Sarat Pattnayak said they would have been happy had more leaders from the state been accommodated in CWC.  The OPCC chief further said that he would visit New Delhi and request Kharge to include 2-3 leaders from Odisha in the apex body of the party.