BHUBANESWAR: Even as the State Congress has set a target to improve its tally in the Assembly from nine to 90 in the 2024 elections, the exclusion of Odisha from the party’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ has come as a huge disappointment for its rank and file.
Though the party has made arrangements for leaders from the State to meet former Congress president Rahul Gandhi at some point during the yatra and is also planning a padayatra by roping senior national leaders, the hype will be missed and its impact minimum.
Party sources said the yatra could have at least united the different factions in the State to work together for the next elections. Besides, the rank and file who are feeling abandoned for the last several years would have been encouraged to actively participate in the revival process of the party.
This is not the first time that the decision of the Central leadership has gone against the party’s interest in the State. Former president of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Niranjan Patnaik was changed six months before the 2014 elections and that too when the party was on the path of revival by winning by-polls to three urban local bodies.
Similarly, his successors could not last for more than three years before be was brought back again six months before the 2019 elections. After a miserable performance by the party in the polls, Patnaik resigned. But his resignation was not accepted and he continued reluctantly for three years before being replaced by Sarat Pattanayak. The incumbent State party chief is also reported to be unable to function as senior leaders are not cooperating with him.
Congress MLA from Cuttack-Barabati constituency Mohammed Moquim said that the Bharat Jodo Yatra under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi was needed for the State. “It would have brought all leaders and workers under a single umbrella and enabled them to fight for the party in the next elections,” he said and added that plans to locally organise the yatra in the presence of some central leaders will not have much impact.
Former minister Ganeswar Behera also admitted it would have been better if Odisha was included in the yatra. However, the yatra will be conducted at the State level. AICC secretary G Rudraraju, however, said it was not possible to include all states in the yatra.
He said plans are afoot to send some leaders and workers from the State to meet Gandhi at some point during the yatra. Besides, senior leaders Jairam Ramesh and Digvijay Singh will reach Odisha on September 17 to hold discussions with local leaders and finalise the yatra at the State level.
Sources said a 1,800 km long yatra will be held in Odisha and its focus will be on western Odisha and tribal majority districts. However, the State yatra will also not cover Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Puri, Angul and Dhenkanal districts.