OPCC Dissolution: Who Will Now Lead Congress In Odisha?

Bhubaneswar: With the dissolution of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) after the party failed to bring the desired results in the recent elections, the AICC on Sunday paved the way for a thorough revamp of the state unit.

By sacking the PCC president and all office bearers of the state unit, the All India Congress Committee has initiated the process of restructuring of the party unit in Odisha.

As the grand old party gears up to rejuvenate the organisation in the state, all eyes are now set to know who is going to be given charge of the Odisha PCC. A wide range of speculations started circulating in political circles soon after the PCC was dissolved with several names doing the rounds.

Among the prospective leaders, former Union Minister Bhakta Charan Das and Mohammad Moquim are said to be in the race for the post of PCC president. Speculation is also rife over the name of former PCC president Jayadev Jena.

While Bhakta Das is stated to have enough potential and organising skill to lead the party, he faced defeat in the recent Assembly elections. Moquim is entangled in a controversy and a legal battle. While Jena has already had experience as PCC chief, he has not been quite successful in tasting success in poll battles.

Political observers are of the view that the grand old party is badly in need of a leader capable of uniting the cadre and putting an end to groupism in the party. The party must emerge as a cohesive force in order to revive itself in the state, they opine.

Though Congress’ mission of ‘nine to 90’ failed miserably in the state under PPC president Sarat Pattanayak, it saved itself from complete decimation by winning 14 Assembly seats and holding on to the lone Lok Sabha seat in Koraput in the twin elections. However, the vote share of the party dropped from 16.12 per cent in 2019 when it had won 9 Assembly seats to 13.32 per cent in the recent election.