OPCC president to be named next month: Moquim | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: All-India Congress Committee (AICC) is expected to name the new state Congress unit president next month, senior party member Mohammed Moquim said on Tuesday. Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) has been functioning without a chief for the last five months after AICC dissolved the OPCC and removed all its office-bearers, including president Sarat Pattanayak, on July 21 over poor performance in Lok Sabha and assembly polls.
“The party high command will name the next president of state Congress in the New Year. Selection process is completed. The new leader will revive Congress in Odisha,” said former MLA Moquim, adding the AICC will not be influenced while appointing the state unit chief.
Senior Congress member Niranjan Patnaik advocated for appointing a young leader to guide the party in the state. “AICC is perhaps taking more time as they are looking for a young and dynamic leader for the president’s position,” Niranjan added.
Going by speculation, former Union minister Bhakta Charan Das, Jeypore MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati, Moquim and former presidents Prasad Harichandan and Jayadev Jena are among the contenders for the post. A two-member AICC team, comprising Chhattisgarh assembly’s leader of opposition, Charan Das Mahant, and senior leader Meenakshi Natarajan, recently held discussions with the state leaders here on shortlisting candidates for the post.
Earlier this year, OPCC had set an ambitious goal of increasing its seat count in the 147-member assembly from nine in 2019 to 90 in assembly polls, which were held in four phases in May and June. While the party did manage to improve its tally slightly, securing 14 seats, its vote share declined from 17% in 2019 to 13.26%. In the Lok Sabha poll, the party succeeded in retaining its single seat in Koraput, which it won in 2019.
Political analyst Debasis Das said the delayed selection of OPCC president has further discouraged party members following recent electoral setbacks. “A complete restructuring of the party’s state unit is long overdue. Congress has an opportunity to strengthen its base after BJD’s downfall. However, it is shocking that the national party’s state unit has not had a chief for the last five months. AICC leaders should immediately rework their strategies to gain ground to replace BJD as the main opposition,” he added.
“The party high command will name the next president of state Congress in the New Year. Selection process is completed. The new leader will revive Congress in Odisha,” said former MLA Moquim, adding the AICC will not be influenced while appointing the state unit chief.
Senior Congress member Niranjan Patnaik advocated for appointing a young leader to guide the party in the state. “AICC is perhaps taking more time as they are looking for a young and dynamic leader for the president’s position,” Niranjan added.
Going by speculation, former Union minister Bhakta Charan Das, Jeypore MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati, Moquim and former presidents Prasad Harichandan and Jayadev Jena are among the contenders for the post. A two-member AICC team, comprising Chhattisgarh assembly’s leader of opposition, Charan Das Mahant, and senior leader Meenakshi Natarajan, recently held discussions with the state leaders here on shortlisting candidates for the post.
Earlier this year, OPCC had set an ambitious goal of increasing its seat count in the 147-member assembly from nine in 2019 to 90 in assembly polls, which were held in four phases in May and June. While the party did manage to improve its tally slightly, securing 14 seats, its vote share declined from 17% in 2019 to 13.26%. In the Lok Sabha poll, the party succeeded in retaining its single seat in Koraput, which it won in 2019.
Political analyst Debasis Das said the delayed selection of OPCC president has further discouraged party members following recent electoral setbacks. “A complete restructuring of the party’s state unit is long overdue. Congress has an opportunity to strengthen its base after BJD’s downfall. However, it is shocking that the national party’s state unit has not had a chief for the last five months. AICC leaders should immediately rework their strategies to gain ground to replace BJD as the main opposition,” he added.
