BHUBANESWAR: Even as Congress completed the three-day Jana Jagaran Yatra in Balasore district on Saturday, announcement made by working president of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Chiranjib Biswal that State president Niranjan Patnaik will be the Chief Minister if the party comes to power in 2019 has created a buzz among the leaders.
The statement of Biswal has come days after former Union Minister and party’s manifesto committee chairman Srikant Jena said a dalit leader will be the Chief Minister in Odisha if Congress comes to power. Jena had written a letter to Niranjan suggesting that Congress should announce in its manifesto for 2019 polls to select a Chief Minister and two deputy Chief Ministers from the backward classes if voted to power.
Addressing a meeting of the Jana Jagaran Yatra of Congress, Biswal said the party is going to contest Assembly elections in the State under the leadership of Niranjan. He will be the Chief Minister if the party comes to power in 2019. He, however, said a decision in this regard will be taken by the party MLAs.
The Jana Jagaran Yatra, which was kicked off from Balasore on September 3, visited 23 panchayats of Jaleswar and Bhogarai blocks on Saturday after covering several villages of Balasore block.
Addressing meetings during the yatra, the OPCC president announced that loan of farmers will be waived and priority will be given to welfare of share croppers if the Congress came to power in 2019 elections. He said that old age pension will also be increased to `1,000 per month. Criticising the State Government for its all round failure, Niranjan said Odisha is lagging behind in education, health, sanitation and infrastructure sectors even after 18 years of BJD rule.