Speculation over new State Cong president intensifies

The Pioneer, Feb 10, 2011
PNS | Bhubaneswar

Speculations intensified as to who will be nominated as the president of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) after four leaders of the State unit met party supremo Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi on Wednesday.

With the question of appointment of a new PCC chief remaining undecided ever after last year's general elections, the meeting of the four leaders meeting Sonia Gandhi at her instance assumed significance. The present State Congress president KP Singh Deo, who was the incumbent during the elections in which the party fared badly in the State, has since long expressed his willingness to relinquish the post.

The leaders, who met Sonia Gandhi, were former Union Minister Chandrasekhar Sahu, PCC working president Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra, former State Minister Niranjan Patnaik and Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Bhupinder Singh.

While Sanu, Mohapatra and Patnaik are in the race for the PCC chief's post, party sources here said that their meeting with Sonia Gandhi does not mean that anyone else might not be nominated for the responsibility. Kalahandi MP and former Union Minister Bhakta Charan Das is also another strong clamant for the post, the sources said.

In fact, Das, who was not inducted into the Union Ministry despite strong speculations after the last elections, is a leading Dalit face of the State Congress and his home district Kalahandi got the maximum number of MLAs elected last time.

Before meeting Sonia Gandhi, the State leaders also called on AICC observer and Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Though the aspirants for the PCC chief post publicly state that they would abide by Sonia Gandhi's nomination of any of them, they are in fact at loggerheads against each other in their bid for the coveted post. For the purpose, they, along with their respective groups of supporters, have been lobbying with the AICC leaders by undertaking frequent visits to New Delhi during the last one year.

In fact, the Congress high command's persistent delay in choosing a new PCC president has dented the party's image in the State. As such, the State Congress is inflicted with acute factionalism and needs a strong, dynamic head to meet the daunting challenge from the Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD).