BHUBANESWAR: The appointment of the new president of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) will not be possible in the near future despite rising expectations among the party leaders and ranks over the visit of AICC team to the state.
A two-member AICC team comprising Chhattisgarh Congress legislature party leader Charan Das Mahant and senior leader Meenakshi Natarajan on Monday arrived in Bhubaneswar and held discussions with the state leadership. However, there was no decision on shortlisting candidates for the OPCC president post.
Mahant admitted before mediapersons that a decision on the new state Congress president is unlikely soon because of elections in Jharkhand which will be held in two phases on November 13 and 20.
“We will be submitting our report to the high command. But AICC leaders would not be able to go through it till the results of the elections are declared on November 23. After the high command reads the report, we will hold discussions and if required, visit the state again,” he said.
Mahant and Natarajan held a meeting with members of the steering committee after their arrival here. Discussion was held on the state leadership and organisational reforms in the Odisha unit to revitalise the party and make it relevant. The deliberation will continue on Tuesday.
“I am here to meet our people on the direction of Congress high command. There will be discussions on how to strengthen the party in the state in the coming days. I will hear them out and convey the same to party leadership,” he added.
Responding to queries on hectic lobbying for the state party chief post, Mahant said he is a person with whom lobbying does not work. He declined to comment on the likely names for the OPCC chief. Former MLA Mohammed Moquim, former Union ministers Srikant Jena and Bhakta Charan Das, and Koraput MP Saptagiri Ulaka have emerged frontrunners for the post.