BHUBANESWAR: The Congress on Sunday dissolved the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee and dismissed all state office-bearers including the OPCC president Sarat Pattanayak following the party’s poor performance in the recently concluded Lok Sabha and assembly elections in the state.
The All India Congress Committee (AICC) also appointed Ramchandra Kadam, a three time MLA from Pottangi in Koraput district as the leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP). Besides, party MLA from Basudevpur in Bhadrak district Ashok Das has been appointed as the deputy leader of the CLP while Rajgangpur legislator CS Raazen Ekka will be the chief whip of the party.
The appointment of Kadam as CLP leader came despite the claim by five-time MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati, who had previously asserted his qualifications for the position. The 14-member CLP is expected to meet on Monday to finalise the party’s strategy for the budget session starting that day.
The decision to dissolve the OPCC and dismissal all the state office-bearers was informed by AICC general secretary KC Venugopal to Odisha in-charge of the party Ajoy Kumar. “The Congress President has approved the proposal of the complete dissolution of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee, including PCC president and its executive committee,” the party's notice stated.
Along with the OPCC, all district committees, block and mandal committees of the party has been dissolved. However, the incumbent District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents will function as acting presidents till new district presidents are appointed.
A complete overhaul of the Congress state organisation was on the cards following the disappointing performance of the party in the elections.
Congress’ mission of ‘nine to 90’ had failed miserably though there was a strong anti-incumbency against the BJD government in the state. All the big leaders of the party including Sarat Pattanayak, campaign committee chairman Bhakta Charan Das and two fomer OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik and Jaydev Jena were defeated.
The vote share of the party dropped from 16.12 per cent in 2019 when it had won 9 Assembly seats to 13.32 per cent in this election.
The party’s number in the LS election also did not improve though it held on to the Koraput seat from where sitting MP Saptagiri Ulaka had won.