Bhubaneswar: Soon after being appointed as new President of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC), Bhakta Charan Das has revoked suspension and expulsion of all leaders made in the past. This has brought cheers and positive among the Cadre
He expressed his willingness to welcome back all leaders who had been either suspended or expelled from the party in the past.
“Several Congress leaders had been either suspended or expelled from the party in Odisha for various reasons in the past. The OPCC has revoked the suspension/expulsion of all such leaders,” said Shri Das in a Media Statement on 14 February.
The OPCC President has also extended an invitation to leaders who deserted the party in the past to rejoin the party.
“Several leaders have left the Congress party in Odisha for various reasons. They have been requested to return to the party fold. The party will welcome back those who believe in its ideology and principles,” the new President said.
In a major decision, Shri Das, a veteran Congress leader has also announced the launch of the Sankalp Padayatra from Bhubaneswar to pilgrim town Puri on February 18.
A 17-member committee headed by former MLA Debashish Pattnaik has been constituted to organize the event.
According to party sources, the Padayatra will commence from Biju Patnaik International Airport on February 18 and conclude at the Shri Jagannath Temple in Puri.
The other members of the committee include former MLA Mohammed Muqim and Uma Ballav Rath, Paty MLAs Ramesh Jena, Dasharathi Gamango, CS Rajan Ekka, Kadraka Apala Swami, and Ashok Kumar Das and former Odisha Pradesh Seva Dal President Arya Kumar Jnanendra.
Senior Congress leader and Balasore parliamentary constituency leader Navajyoti Patnaik, Odisha Pradesh Congress Women’s Front leader Meenakshi Bahinipati, Bhubaneswar District President Bishwajit Dash, Youth Congress President Ranjit Patra, youth leader Yasir Nawaz, and Students’ Congress President Udit Narayan Pradhan have also been included as committee members.
The OPCC President has urged all party leaders and workers to actively participate in the Sankalp Padayatra and contribute to making the event a success.
After taking over the responsibility in such a crucial time, Shri Das has started trying hard to reunite the party and strengthen its organization to fight with BJP and BJD.
Shri Das has a long political experience, which the party leadership eying to use to strengthen the Congress base in Odisha, which was once considered as a stronghold for the party. Most importantly, Shri Das has closeness with both Rahul Gandhi and Priynaka Gandhi.