The Congress legislature Party (ClP), which now openly backs senior leader Niranjan Patnaik for the next OPCC chief post, has welcomed the AICC decision to send a three-member observer team to look into party affairs in the State.
“Even as we welcome the AICC team, yet all of us (16 MlAs) are determined to make Niranjan Patnaik the next OPCC president,” said ClP Chief Whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati.
He said the MlAs have already conveyed their united decision to the AICC national vice-president Rahul Gandhi in this regard and have once again sought appointment to apprise him about the ground realities of the party in Odisha.
Taking a swipe at former Union Minister Srikanta Jena, who is believed to be behind the latest AICC move to send the observers’ team, Bahinipati said all those who have gained from the party should now make way for others.
“There are many leaders in the party waiting for years together to achieve something. But the way leaders like Srikanta Jena are misleading the party high command will not only pull the party further down in Odisha but also dampen the spirit and enthusiasm of scores of leaders waiting to achieve something,” he said.
The MlAs, including leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra, believe that Patnaik, if made the PCC chief, would lead the party in 2019 general elections in a much better way.
Patnaik has also welcomed the AICC decision to send the team of observers. “There is no harm in AICC team visiting the State to get further feedback on how to strengthen the party in the State,” he said.
In the meanwhile, the differences between the ClP and the OPCC has widened further after the party went down to third position in the recently-held panchayat polls under the leadership of Prasad Harichandan.
Political observers feel that the party high command, who is not so keen on making Niranjan the OPCC chief, is looking for a different strategy to win over the confidence of the ClP. Constitution of the observers’ team is only a move to persuade the MlAs not to press for Niranjan for the PCC chief post.
The team is likely to visit the State and submit its report to the AICC during the current month only, said sources.