Riding on the growing popularity of Rahul Gandhi, public disillusionment with the BJP’s “double-engine” government, and strong grassroots enthusiasm, the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) has resolved to contest the upcoming Panchayat elections unitedly to emerge as the leading political force in the state.
Chairing the PCC Political Affairs Committee (PAC) meeting on Sunday afternoon, AICC State In-Charge Lalji Desai stated that public mandate is visibly shifting away from the ruling party toward the Congress. He urged leaders and workers to trust their collective strength, asserting that an organized and united Congress would be unstoppable in Odisha.
Desai pointed out a stark contrast in organizational dynamics: while the party struggles to assemble 5,000 people in Gujarat despite securing a 37% vote share, Odisha leaders effortlessly gather 5,000 to 7,000 people even with a 13.5% vote share. He emphasized that with structured effort, victory is well within reach.
OPCC President Bhakta Charan Das outlined the party’s plan to strengthen its grassroots presence and called upon senior leaders to take direct responsibility for their respective home districts during the Panchayat campaign.
Key Resolutions & Major Strategy Points
Following deliberations by senior leaders, several key resolutions were unanimously passed during the meeting:
- OBC Reservation Demand: The Congress will actively champion and demand OBC reservation in the upcoming Panchayat polls.
- Door-to-Door Campaign on MMDR & SIR: The party will take the MMDR (Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation) Act amendments and SIR issues to every household. Senior leader Narasingha Mishra proposed deploying party lawyers to the grassroots to explain these complex legal matters to the public.
- Attack on Proposed Data Center: Former Union Minister Srikant Jena strongly criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposed data center project in Odisha, alleging it serves corporate interests rather than local citizens. Jena warned that the facility would trigger severe water and power shortages across the state.
- Tribal Rights & MMDR Act: Former Chief Minister Dr. Giridhar Gamang shared his insights as a former Union Mines Minister, explaining how the amended MMDR Act directly harms tribal interests and rights.
- Mobilization for Delhi Rally: The committee finalized a blueprint to send thousands of Congress leaders and workers from Odisha to participate in the upcoming Delhi rally on November 1.
- Revival of ‘Congress Barta’: Former OPCC President Prasad Harichandan and former Minister Panchanan Kanungo advocated for the continued publication and distribution of the party newsletter, Congress Barta.
The high-level meeting saw active participation from key party figures, including AICC Co-Incharges JT Kusum Kumar and Mayura Jayakumar, PCC Vice President (Organization) Santosh Singh Saluja, and former OPCC Presidents Niranjan Patnaik, Jayadev Jena, and Sarat Patnaik.
Other notable attendees included former MPs and Ministers Jagannath Patnaik, Nagendra Nath Pradhan, Amarnath Pradhan, Ananta Sethi, Dr. Ramachandra Khuntia, Sura Routray, Sarat Rout, PCC Vice President Sasmita Behera, Senior Leader Shibananda Ray, Seva Dal Chief Subhendu Mohanty, State Student Congress President Bibhuti Bhushan Mohapatra, PCC Treasurer Siddharth Dash, Trinath Behera, Ramachandra Hansdah, and Dr. Lalatendu Mohapatra.
