While a buzz of a change of guard in the State Congress is around, party MlAs and senior leaders on Sunday left for New Delhi to meet All India Congress Committee vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who is scheduled to hold discussions with them for revamping the party organisation, which has taken a beating in the recent panchayat elections.
Former Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Niranjan Patnaik before leaving for New Delhi said they were going to Delhi to hold talks on how to strengthen the party organisation. He said he is not interested for PCC president’s post. When asked, some leaders have proposed his name in case of a change of the party leadership, Patnaik said, “I thank them for their support, but I would think a hundred times before accepting the responsibility.”
Jharsuguda MlA Naba Kishore Das also echoed the same sentiments and said, “I am not interested in the change of leadership. Our priority is how the party can be strengthened in the State to defeat the ruling party and come to power.
However, Congress Chief Whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati said they want a change in the party leadership and they are going to hold discussions regarding that in their meeting with Rahul Gandhi. Some young MlAS also expressed similar opinions and said Niranjan Patnaik should take over reigns of the party in the State.