The Congress organised a massive rally at Jatabal of Nabarangpur on Sunday on the death anniversary of its leader and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Though the programme was organised to offer tribute to the late leader , it turned out to be a show of strength in the home town of Pradip Majhi after the former working president and former MP had left the party to join the BJD a few days back.
Though PCC president Niranjan Patnaik could not attend the programme due to his health problem, leaders of the party like Balangir MLA Narasingha Mishra, Koraput MP Saptagiri Ulaka, Sanakhemundi MLA Ramesh Jena, Jeypore MLA Taraprasad Bahinipati, Khariar MLAAdhiraj Panigrahi, former Minister Ganeswar Behera, Bhujabala Majhi, Sadan Nayak and Mamata Madhi joined among others.
Senior leaders like Mohan Prakash ,AICC Genereal Secretary and Odisha-in-Charge Dr Chella Kumar graced the occasion as guests. The meeting was presided over by the district president Muna Tripathy.
The district presidents of Koraput, Rayagada and Malkanagiri joined the meeting. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Chella Kumar said, “Both the BJD and BJP Governments are anti-people.
The BJD Government has failed to ensure justice to the deceased Mamita Meher.” He also claimed that the desertion of leaders from the party will have no impact on the electoral prospects of Congress.
Tara Prasad Bahinipati said, “Pradip Majhi’s exit from the party will strengthen the party.”
Saptagiri Ulaka said, “The undivided Koraput district has always been the fort of the Congress party. We will work hard to win two Loka Sabha and all the 14 Assembly seats in the next general elections.”
It is the right move by the party to check further defection of the grassroot Congress leaders to the BJD when Pradip Majhi will join the BJD on November 6, said sources.
Though all the leaders in the meeting heavily criticised Majhi and other defectors to demoralise them in the public eye, the impact of the damage control measure can only be assessed after the size of the defection under Majhi and follow-up action of the Congress .