30 Congress leaders resign, raising questions on party’s revival in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: As many as 30 Congress leaders including some former state office-bearers resigned from the party on Tuesday dealing a blow to the party’s attempts for organisational revival in the State.Announcing the decision, the leaders alleged that Congress is moving away from its ideals and policies in the State and the leadership has not initiated any measures to create a sense of confidence among the party rank and file. Targeting the high command and State leadership of the party, the dissidents alleged that there is no internal democracy in Congress.

Alleging that those in charge of party’s organisation at the national level are not giving any importance to the State unit Congress, the leaders said genuine leaders and workers of the party are getting sidelined.Targeting the newly appointed president of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Sarat Pattanayak, the dissidents alleged that it seems he has joined hands with the ruling BJD.The new president is only busy organising programmes as directed by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) without taking any initiative for the revival of the organisation in Odisha, they also said.

The mass resignation of so many leaders is seen as a reaction against the appointment of Pattanayak as the OPCC president ignoring the claims of other contenders. Sources say that the resignations have the blessings of top leaders of the party though nobody came to the fore on Tuesday. Those who resigned include former MP Radhakant Digal and ex-MLA Rabindra Kumar Behera.

The OPCC president, however, said the resignations will have no impact on the party. The resignations have a BJD hand to it, Pattanayak said, adding the ruling party  has resorted to such a tactic as Congress has changed its approach in the State. Meanwhile, the party led by Pattanayak took out a rally from Janata Maidan in the city as  part of the Azadi Ki Gaurav Yatra celebrated by the party across the country.