Bhubaneswar: For the first time, AICC has dissloved Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC). The Congress leadership has started exercise for complete revamp of its organization in Odisha following the party’s poor show in the recently concluded Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
BJP, the principal opposition of Congress at national-level, has formed a government in Odisha by winning 78 MLA seats and won 20 out of 21 MP seats while the Congress won only 14 MLA and one MP seat in the recently concluded polls.
The All India Congress Committee (AICC) today completely dissolved the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) including the district units. The AICC has also removed OPCC President Sarat Pattanayak along with all OPCC office bearers and district presidents and DCC office bearers.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has approved the proposal of complete dissolution of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee, including its President, PCC, office bearers and executive committee, District/Block/Mandal Congress Committees, Frontal Organisations, Departments and Cells, with immediate effect, a statement issued by the party said.
“The current DCC presidents will serve as acting presidents until new DCC Presidents are appointed,” the statement said
This is a major move by the Congress’ national leadership to give a clear-cut message to the State Congress leaders because this time, the BJP has come to power and a chance was there for the party to strengthen its vote base in Odisha, party sources said.
OPCC President Shri Pattanayak, who had contested from Nuapada Assembly constituency, got only 15,501 votes and remained at fourth position while BJD’s Rajendra Dholakia won the seat with 61,822 votes.
Independent candidate Ghasiram Majhi and BJP nominee Abhinandan Panda ended at second and third positions, respectively, in the election.
Shri Pattanayak himself lost his deposit for such a dismal show in the polls. This might have prompted the Congress high-command to remove him from the OPCC president post, the sources said.
Meanwhile, the Congress party has also appointed Pottangi MLA Rama Chandra Kadam Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader in the Odisha Assembly.
Similarly, Basudevpur MLA Ashok Das and Rajgangpur legislator C S Raazen Ekka have been appointed as deputy CLP leader and chief whip in the Assembly, respectively.