BHUBANESWAR: Even as the rift between organisational and legislative wings of the state Congress continues, the scheduled meeting of presidents of some District Congress Committees (DCCs) with party vice-president Rahul Gandhi on November 2 has sparked off further speculation about its outcome.
Sources maintained that 22 of 33 DCC presidents have been called to New Delhi for a meeting with Rahul Gandhi to discuss about the ensuing panchayat polls in the State in February next year. The rest will be called soon for the meeting in the next phase.
However, confusion prevails about the purpose of such a meeting. While a section of the leaders maintained that panchayat polls will be discussed, several others said the meeting of DCC presidents has been organised by president of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Prasad Harichandan as a show strength. Harichandan will accompany the DCC presidents during the meeting with Rahul Gandhi.
Several DCC presidents also maintained that no meeting has been convened by high command at New Delhi.
However, detractors of Harichandan maintained that the high command has called the DCC presidents to New Delhi assess the support enjoyed by the OPCC president.
Campaign for removal of Harichandan as the OPCC president has gained ground ever since the party MLAs met Rahul Gandhi at New Delhi on October 15. Though the meeting was scheduled to discuss the Mahanadi river water dispute with Chhattisgarh, MLAs raised the issue of lack of coordination with organisational and legislative wings and demanded Harichandan's ouster.
Harichandan got a reprieve till the panchayat polls after his meeting with Rahul Gandhi on October 28. He has also announced that corrective measures will be taken to create better coordination and understanding between the organisational and legislative wings.