BHUBANESWAR: Congress appears to be slipping back into its old ways in Odisha, with factionalism and leadership disputes once again raising their ugly heads and threatening to derail its revival efforts in the state.
Bhakta Charan Das was given the charge as the OPCC president with expectation of strenthening the grassroots organisation and also mounting a challenge to the dominance of BJP and BJD in Odisha. However, several disgruntled party leaders alleged that the objectives have remained unfulfilled and instead, the Congress has become more divided under his leadership.
A major factor which has affected the party’s rebuilding process is said to be the individualised style of Das’ functioning. He has allegedly antagonised all senior leaders and they are not attending any party programmes at the Congress Bhavan. Sources said serious differences have also emerged between Das and AICC general secretary in-charge of Odisha Ajay Kumar Lallu.
The recent meeting at New Delhi in which functioning of different PCC presidents were reviewed is reported to have shown Das in a poor light. He was reportedly asked why no senior leader of the party was with him. He is also believed to have received flak over the issue of organisational rebuilding as he has concentrated only in south and western Odisha where the party has presence. It came to fore at the meeting that Congress does not have any solid presence in 85 places of coastal Odisha.
His handling of the RS election without Congress contesting in it also came in for criticism. Ever since the RS polls, the CLP has become non-functional with a section of the party demanding the removal of Ram Chandra Kadam as its leader. Sources said AICC has advised Das to reorient his functioning for a better result during the panchayat and ULB polls expected to be held early next year.