BHUBANESWAR: As the activities of Congress have slowly increased following a change in State leadership, the announcement of State office-bearers is being awaited in political circles here. Speculation is rife as to whether the new team will be of a jumbo size as the last one or a small one. The State leadership gave enough hints at the meeting of the former office-bearers held last week at the Congress Bhavan here that majority of the old office-bearers will be left out from the new team. Though the delay in the announcement has come as a dampener in the organisational revival of the Odisha Congress, sources maintained that the new team will be announced by July 15.
Sources maintained that Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Niranjan Patnaik and three working presidents have already completed the exercise for selection of new office-bearers and a list has already been prepared. However, party leaders and workers are not sure why the list has been held back. Political observers believe that the delay is due to intense factionalism. The new State leadership is trying to bring a balance among various factions before declaring the list.
Party managers, however, maintained that zonal committees will complete the formation of booth committees by the targeted time though only less than a year is left for next elections. Each booth committee will have at least 10 members. In areas where the party has a strong base, the number of members in the booth committee can go up to 20.
The State leadership is also planning to invite AICC president Rahul Gandhi in August and September to address public meetings and meet party rank and file. Meanwhile, the four-member committee constituted by the party to report on the differences of opinion between Congress chief whip in the Assembly Tara Prasad Bahinipati and party MLA from Koraput, Krushna Chandra Sagaria has met to discuss the issue. The OPCC will take action on the issue basing on the report of the committee.