OdishaPlus Bureau
The All India Congress Committee (AICC) has turned down the resignation of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) President Niranjan Patnaik and asked him and the working presidents of OPCC to continue in their respective positions, even as the party announced dissolution of the Odisha unit and also of all state committees constituted for the recently held Assembly and Lok Sabha polls. Two of the Working Presidents- Chiranjib Biswal and Pradip Majhi too will continue.
“The Congress president has dissolved the PCC office bearers and all other committees constituted for recently held Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Odisha with immediate effect,” AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal said in a statement.
It may be mentioned that Niranjan after his party suffered a humiliating defeat in the recently concluded elections to Lok Sabha and State Assembly had tendered his resignation to AICC. However, many in the party including young Turks like Ranjib Biswal pleaded for Niranjan’s continuance. While Niranjan himself lost from two assembly constituencies he contested from, his son also lost from Balasore Lok Sabha seat.
With uncertainty continuing in AICC after Rahul Gandhi quit, there has been complete inactivity in the State unit of the party. Especially when other two prominent parties in the State BJD and BJP have pulled up socks for membership drive, there has been complete indolence in the State unit of this more than hundred years old party.
Political observers feel that with a dismal performance in last election and uncertainty prevailing at the highest echelon of the party, workers in the State are a dejected lot and the Niranjan has a real task at hand to revive the party which has ruled the State for nearly forty years after independence.
