AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi seems to be confusing rank and file of Congress in Odisha at a time when the party is expected to do much better in the coming elections than the three previous polls.
Gandhi, after assuming charge as the second in command in AICC, undertook a tour of the State during February and announced that he would soon activate the party. But what he has done so far has only created confusion in the organisation.
The delay on the part of Gandhi in taking a decision on whether to change the OPCC leadership has led to a sense of confusion among the party’s leaders and cadres, especially ahead of the ensuing general elections.
Nobody is sure whether Niranjan Patnaik would continue as PCC president till the elections.
The atmosphere of uncertainty has been accentuated by Rahul Gandhi’s meetings with several State Congress leaders and holding discussions on the party affairs. He has, meanwhile, met Srikant Jena, Bhakta Charan Das, Jayadev Jena and lalatendu Bidyadhar (lulu) Mohapatra twice in groups and Prasad Harichandan and Pradeep Majhi and others in persons.
And significantly, in all these events Niranjan Patnaik has not been invited to the discussions. Moreover, the leaders whom Gandhi repeatedly invited for talks are known to be against Patnaik continuing as the president. This has obviously sent a message to the party workers and leaders that their high command may be seeking a replacement of Patnaik.
Patnaik, on his part, has been undertaking tours to different parts of the State and campaigning for the party, the latest being his visit to the State’s worst-Maoist-hit Malkangiri district. This is despite the fact that he himself is not sure whether he will continue in charge.
“I am in the charge and do not know about any change,” Patnaik has been repeatedly telling reporters while replying the question on a likely change of guard in the leadership.
That the AICC is considering about a change of the leadership was indicated when young Nabarangpur MP Pradeep Majhi, after meeting Rahul Gandhi, said he has not reached the age of leading the party.
The leaders who meet Rahul in phases, however, unofficially say that the AICC is likely to effect a change in the State leadership before the elections. And there are speculations that either of Srikant Jena, Bhakta Das and lulu Mohapatra may replace Patnaik shortly.