Odisha: Uncertainty prevails over a change of guard in state Congress

BHUBANESWAR: Uncertainty prevails over the much awaited change of guard in the state Congress even after the humiliating defeat of the party in the Bijepur by-poll where its candidate lost deposit.

Sources in the party said that any decision in this regard will be taken only after the three day session of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) beginning at New Delhi from March 16.

Though there were reports that president of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee Prasad Harichandan had resigned taking moral responsibility for the party's debacle in the by-poll, there has been no official confirmation in this regard from the AICC. The OPCC president is also not available for comment in this regard.

However, Harichandan and other members of the AICC from Odisha will attend the three day session at New Delhi. Sources maintained that there is likely to be hints in the speech of party president Rahul
Gandhi in his speech about organisational matters about change of guard in Pradesh Congress Committees (PCCs) where the party has not performed in recent assembly elections.

There is an earlier circular from the AICC that there will be no change of guards in the states and unless a decision is taken in this regard for any state.

Sources said that several party leaders are waiting for a decision of the high command after the AICC about a change of guard in the state. If a decision in this regard is deferred further, many
leaders are likely to quit Congress and join other parties for their political survival. A senior leader said as general elections are at the most a year away, further delay in this regard will be damaging for Congress in Odisha.

Congress lost the Bijepur by-poll even though the party retained the constituency for three consecutive terms since 2004.