BHUBANESWAR : Signalling a complete overhaul of the party organisation in the state, the Congress on Sunday dissolved the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) and dismissed all state office-bearers including OPCC president Sarat Pattanayak.
The All India Congress Committee (AICC) appointed Rama Chandra Kadam, a three-time MLA from Pottangi in Koraput district, as the leader of the Congress legislature party (CLP). Basudevpur MLA Ashok Das has been appointed as the deputy leader of the CLP while Rajgangpur legislator CS Raazen Ekka will be the chief whip of the party.
The party has ignored five-time MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati who had staked his claim by stating a few days back that he deserved the post of the CLP. The 14 MLAs of the party are likely to meet on Monday to finalise the strategy for the budget session beginning on the same day. While Bahinipati has not reacted to the snub, his approach to the development remains to be seen.
The decision to dissolve the OPCC and dismissal of all state office-bearers was informed by AICC general secretary KC Venugopal to Odisha in-charge Ajoy Kumar. “The Congress president has approved the proposal for the complete dissolution of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee, including PCC president and its executive committee,” the letter stated.
Along with the OPCC, all district committees, block and mandal committees have been dissolved. However, the incumbent district Congress committee (DCC) presidents will function as acting presidents till new chiefs are appointed.
The move has come following the disappointing performance of the party in the recent Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. Congress’ mission of ‘9 to 90’ had failed miserably though there was a strong anti-incumbency against the BJD in the state. All the big leaders of the party including the OPCC chief, campaign committee chairman Bhakta Charan Das and two former state presidents Niranjan Patnaik and Jaydev Jena were defeated.