“Five Congress MLAs from Odisha recently visited Delhi to meet Rahul Gandhi, who gave his consensus to visit Odisha towards the last week of October. The date will be finalised after discussion with OPCC President Sarat Pattanayak,” said the Khariar MLA.

He further informed that the MLAs proposed to hold meetings at its four zones in Odisha and discussed way to strengthen the party’s organisation with Rahul. “We have requested him to address rallies in the four zones and he has promised to visit the state to strengthen our party. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra may also accompany him,” he added.

Rahul had last visited Odisha in 2019.

The Congress has nine MLAs in the 147-member Odisha Assembly. The next election in the state is due in 2024.

Senior Congress leaders from Odisha on Monday expressed their unhappiness over the composition of the new CWC constituted by party president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday.

Though former Union Minister Bhakta Charan Das has been appointed as in-charge by the party high command, there is a feeling among the state leaders that Odisha has all along been ignored by the AICC.

Expressing unhappiness over the development, veteran Congress leader and MLA Suresh Routray told the media that gross injustice is being done to Odisha by the AICC with no one from the state being included in the CWC during the last several years. “The AICC has been neglecting, underestimating and humiliating Odisha by not giving adequate attention to the state and its leaders,” the Jatni MLA said.

The firebrand Congress leader said that he will draw the attention of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Kharge and seek justice for Odisha.

Voicing similar views, senior leader and former state Congress president Niranjan Patnaik said it appears that the AICC does not require the services of the leaders from Odisha.

Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Sarat Pattnayak said they would have been happy had more leaders from the state been accommodated in CWC. The OPCC chief further said that he would visit New Delhi and request Kharge to include 2-3 leaders from Odisha in the apex body of the party.

Dharmendra had earlier greeted the people of western districts of the state on the occasion of ‘Sambalpuri Din’ or Sambalpuri Day, which marks the birth anniversary of Satyanarayan Bohidar, who contributed immensely to the Sambalpuri culture.

To mark the occasion, Maa Samaleswari, the presiding deity of Odisha’s Sambalpur district, was also adorned in the traditional handloom attire of the region. Other deities in the temple complex along with the Singha Vahana too were clad in Sambalpuri weaves.

Bohidar was born on August 1, 1913 at Sonepur, then undivided Sambalpur. He spent his formative years in Sambalpur and churned out a good number of literary translations and biographies. Known as the pioneer of Sambalpuri language and grammar, he is remembered for his magnum opus ‘Sambalpuri Bhasakosh’. His other works include ‘Tik Chahnra’, ‘Ghavghavo’, ‘Ghuvkudu’ and several poems. August 1 is officially observed as ‘Samablpuri Din’ to commemorate his immense contribution to literature and culture of the area while celebrating its beautiful weaves.

Former Odisha chief secretary Bijay Patnaik, who was formally inducted into the grand old party in February this year, was also present.

Panchanan Dash was formerly secretary, Micro Small and Medium Enterprise Development including food processing Industries. He is currently president, Forum for Entrepreneurship Development.

This has come amid a storm raging in the Odisha Congress, which is already struggling to stay relevant in state politics, over suspension of Cuttack Barabati MLA Mohammed Moquim and former OPCC working president, Chiranjib Biswal with several party workers vehemently opposing the party high command’s decision.

The Odisha Congress Executive Committee meeting to discuss the party’s strategy for next year’s Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections was held on Saturday in a hotel instead of its state headquarters reportedly due to agitation by supporters of the two suspended leaders. The OPCC president claimed that the meeting did not discuss the suspension matter and there is no dissidence in the party. “Suspension of Moquim and Biswal are individual matters which can be discussed in different forum. The state executive meeting focused on the ensuing 2024 general elections. We are preparing a blueprint,” Pattanayak told reporters.

According to sources, Odisha Congress President, Sarat Pattanayak had complained about both the leaders before the Disciplinary Action Committee (DAC). Based on the complaint, replies were sought from both leaders. However, the DAC found the replies to be unsatisfactory following which, the committee decided to place both of them under suspension.

When contacted, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee chief, Sarat Pattanayak said this is the decision of the high command and we have to accept it. 

In his reaction, MLA Mohd. Moquim said, “We came to know about our suspension from a letter doing rounds on WhatsApp. I had never given any anti-party statements. But after my participation in the voting to elect Droupadi Murmu as the President of India, the OPCC chief wrote to the party’s high command. And after receiving the show-cause, I had already given my reply. But I have not done anything against the party. However, I am accepting the party’s decision.”

“The party has suspended us temporarily. But we should get by. In the coming days, we will think about how can we associate with the party and strengthen it. Today, Sarat Pattanayak is the party chief. Tomorrow, someone else will be in his place. But I am with the Congress,” Moquim added. 

Senior journalist Prasanna Mohanty said, “The Congress has come to the action mode which is the need of the hour. The party may have less number of MLAs and workers but there would be discipline in the party. More than half of the total Congress MLAs are showing undue support to the ruling party. MLA Suresh Routray is often found giving statements contrary to the party’s stand. If the leaders of the Opposition party are leaning toward the ruling party, the former can’t make progress.”

“The party has total nine MLAs. The suspension of the MLA suggests that the party is trying to maintain discipline at any cost,” Mohanty added.