Congress dissolves committees, dismisses Odisha PCC president

BHUBANESWAR: The Congress on Sunday dissolved the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee and dismissed all state office-bearers including the OPCC president Sarat Pattanayak following the party’s poor performance in the recently concluded Lok Sabha and assembly elections in the state.

The All India Congress Committee (AICC) also appointed Ramchandra Kadam, a three time MLA from Pottangi in Koraput district as the leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP). Besides, party MLA from Basudevpur in Bhadrak district Ashok Das has been appointed as the deputy leader of the CLP while Rajgangpur legislator CS Raazen Ekka will be the chief whip of the party.

The appointment of Kadam as CLP leader came despite the claim by five-time MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati, who had previously asserted his qualifications for the position. The 14-member CLP is expected to meet on Monday to finalise the party’s strategy for the budget session starting that day.

The decision to dissolve the OPCC and dismissal all the state office-bearers was informed by AICC general secretary KC Venugopal to Odisha in-charge of the party Ajoy Kumar. “The Congress President has approved the proposal of the complete dissolution of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee, including PCC president and its executive committee,” the party’s notice stated.