BHUBANESWAR: After three months of silence due to the Covid-19 pandemic, talks about a possible change in the State leadership of the Congress are doing the rounds again following the new appointments made by the party high command in Gujarat.
The demand for replacement of president of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Niranjan Patnaik by a young face is not new. However, the Central leadership of the party had so far ignored the demand, though the pro-changers had made several trips to New Delhi during the last several months to lobby for Patnaik's ouster. Patnaik had also resigned from the post after the party’s defeat in the 2019 Assembly Elections when Congress was relegated to the third position in Odisha after BJD and BJP.
However, activities of the party have again picked up during the last couple of months over the issues of Covid-19 management by the State Government and rise in the price of petrol and diesel. The issue was again brought to the centre stage on Sunday by senior legislator Suresh Routray who said Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi and senior leader Rahul Gandhi are contemplating massive revamp in the State party leaderships across the country in order to bolster the organisation.
The focus of the revamp will be on youth leadership, he said. Routray said that 13 senior leaders, including some former presidents of the OPCC, are in the race for replacing Patnaik. Secretary of All India Congress Committee (AICC) Sarat Rout supported Routray and said in view of the current situation, there is a need for change of guard in OPCC. "A strong leader is needed who can counter the Government and take the party ahead in Odisha," he said.
However, working president of the OPCC Pradip Majhi, said to be in the race for party’s chief post, informed that such discussion during the time of pandemic is irrelevant. Stating that he is not interested for the post, Majhi said a change in the OPCC leadership can be considered after the COVID-19 pandemic is over.
Congress MP from Koraput Saptagiri Ulaka also said there is no need for a change in OPCC leadership. Rather, posts in district block level committees should be filled up to strengthen the party at the grassroots level, he added.