The Congress high command’s handling of the affairs of the Odisha party unit appears to be strange and self-destructing for the organisation in the State. In fact, it seems the party national leadership hardly bothers about revival of Congress in the State.
The party had the worst-ever show in the last elections with its number of members in the 147-seat Legislature Assembly dwindling to below two digits, that is, nine and it losing its main Opposition status to the BJP. It had been expected that the party under the stewardship of a senor-most leader, Niranjan Patnaik, would do much better. But that never happened. And to add to the party’s misery, Patnaik himself got defeated in both the seats he contested from.
As a result, Patnaik tendered his resignation as the Pradesh Congress Committee president; but even after nine long years, the AICC is yet to take a decision on his replacement. If he has to be continued in the post, the high command has to make an announcement to that effect and tell the party rank and file that no dissidence will be tolerated at all. But there is no such communication from New Delhi.
Of course, AICC in-charge of Odisha Jitendra Singh has, meanwhile, stated that Patnaik would continue as the PCC chief, but that is having no serious bearing among the cadres, who look forward to party president Sonia Gandhi’s fiat in this regard.
No wonder, a large section of the party’s leaders in the State has been camping in Delhi from time to time and pressing for Patnaik’s ouster from the leadership. The factionalism has had its reflections recently at places like Puri and Bhadrak with rival groups coming to blows and party workers being hospitalised. The shows of group clashes are even taking place in the presence of Jitendra Singh and Patnaik together.
The fact is the State Congress cannot come out of its present moribund condition without a firm intervention by the high command keeping in view that panchayat and cooperative bodies’ elections are approaching. There is now a demand in some quarters for a younger leader like Cuttack MLA Mohammed Moquim to take over the PCC reins. A new leader or Patnaik’s continuance, whatever, Sonia Gandhi has to act fast to save and activate the demoralised State party organisation.