Even though more than a month has passed since the change of guard in the State Congress, a new team is yet to be in place which has completely derailed the anti-Naveen campaign in the State.
Former minister Niranjan Patnaik was replaced as the president of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) by Jaydev Jena on May 13. When Niranjan was removed, the anti-Naveen campaign was taking shape and the stock of the Congress was on the rise after victory in elections in the three notified area councils (NACs). Sources said an experienced team was working in the party to give direction to its activities. As a new team has not taken over after the change, it has affected the functioning of the party. The agitational programmes taken up by the party has been affected as office-bearers are not involving themselves. An impression was given when the OPCC president was changed that there would be collective leadership in the party.
However, the other three senior leaders, who met All-India Congress Committee (AICC) vive-president Rahul Gandhi twice along with Jena before the change of guard, are no longer active.
Rahul had met Jaydev Jena, Union minister Srikant Jena, AICC spokesman Bhakta Charan Das and former working president of the OPCC L B Mohapatra in March and April to give a shape to the functioning of the party in the State and activate it at the grassroots level.
Srikant Jena was active for some time after the change, but now seems to have withdrawn himself. The other two, Das and Mohapatra, are away from the activities of the party in the State. While Das is busy at the national level after his appointment as the AICC spokesman, Mohapatra seems to be sulking after the elevation of Jaydev Jena as the president.
The OPCC president, however, told this paper that he will meet both Rahul and party president Sonia Gandhi on June 20 to finalise the new office-bearers. He said a new team will be in place by the first week of next month.