BHUBANESWAR: Former minister and senior BJP leader Bijoy Mohapatra is likely to join Congress during the visit of former party president Rahul Gandhi to the state, in January.
Though Congress has not officially confirmed the development, sources said several rounds of discussions were held between mediators on behalf of Mohapatra and the party leadership in this connection. The recent visit of Mohapatra to Kendrapara district has fuelled further speculations in this regard.
Mohapatra, who has been sidelined in the BJP for a long time, may also contest the upcoming elections from Kendrapara. There would have been positive developments in this connection during the last week of December. But the Congress’s defeat in the recently concluded Assembly elections has put a brake on the programmes.
Sources in the party said things will be clear after the meeting of constituents of INDIA in New Delhi on December 19. The Congress will also undergo an organisational change and a new working president may be appointed ahead of elections. But everything depends on the clearance of the central leadership and the finalisation of Gandhi’s visit to Odisha. Some senior leaders of the party said the central leadership may not take any risks following the election results and leave the state leadership to deal with the emerging situation.
The case of the Gamang family can be cited as an example. The family’s reentry to Congress has been cleared in the last four months. But they are waiting for a call to be inducted to the party even as elections are getting nearer. A similar situation may emerge in this case also.
Mohapatra said he was going around the constituency. “I will decide on the future course of action only after BJD and BJP make their stand clear. Whether there will be an alliance between the two parties or they will fight elections separately, let us see,” he said.