Bhubaneswar: Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s scheduled visit to Odisha on July 11 has created a buzz in the Congress camp.
“The one-day visit is aimed at strengthening the party’s grassroots structure in Odisha for upcoming electoral battles. It will also convey a powerful message of unity and social justice, laying the groundwork for future political campaigns in the state,” OPCC president Bhakta Charan Das told a presser on Wednesday.
Sharing the details of the programme, he said Rahul, who will be accompanied by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal, would proceed to Baramunda Ground, where ‘Samvidhan Bachao Samavesh’ will be held at 1 pm, soon after arriving in Bhubaneswar. “The senior Congress leader will address key issues concerning farmers, tribal communities facing displacement, women, and youth of the state during his visit to Odisha,” he said.
Following the mega rally, there will be a meeting of the political affairs committee of the state Congress, and the central leaders will take part in it. Later, they will hold another meeting with state Congress functionaries and MLAs.
Das further stated that Rahul will hold two significant closed-door meetings on Friday – one with a delegation of displaced tribal families affected by recent forcible evictions in various parts of Odisha and another with a farmers’ delegation over procurement delays and other agrarian issues. “His interactions with ground-level delegations and party leadership will reinforce our commitment to fight for the rights of Odisha’s people,” he added.
Former Union minister Srikant Jena said Rahul’s visit will strengthen the Congress party’s efforts to advocate for social justice for women, Dalits, tribals, and OBCs. “Violence against women, Dalits and tribals has increased in Odisha. The state commissions for women, SCs and STs have remained non-functional even after the BJP government has completed one year in office. OBCs of the state are yet to get their constitutional rights of 27 per cent reservation in education and jobs,” he said.