Leaving a crucial post like the PCC president vacant for an extended period is not new for Congress in Odisha. However, this delay has been unusually long. The state unit now waits anxiously for a new leader to take charge, inspire party workers, and guide grassroots efforts ahead of the 2024 elections.
Names like Bhakta Charan Das, Shrikant Jena, Mohammed Moquim, Ramachandra Khuntia, and Jayadev Jena have surfaced as potential contenders, sparking intense lobbying among hopeful leaders.
A retrospective look at Congress’s 24-year journey in Odisha paints a grim picture. After its 2000 electoral defeat to the Biju Janata Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJD-BJP) alliance, the grand old party has struggled to stage a comeback or signal its seriousness in state politics. Consequently, it has consistently underperformed in elections and failed to challenge the ruling BJD or BJP effectively.
In the Lok Sabha elections held early this year, the grand old party got only one of the 21 seats. Similarly, the assembly elections held simultaneously with Lok Sabha saw the party just improving its tally 14 from nine in 2019.
Rahul Gandhi, still considered the party’s foremost leader, has seemingly paid scant attention to Odisha's political landscape. His occasional visits, often around election seasons, have done little to revitalize the party’s prospects.
"As panchayat and urban elections approach, with the Bharatiya Janata Party and BJD gearing up, Congress must accelerate its preparations to stay relevant. Otherwise, it risks slipping further into political obscurity, much like the Left parties in the state," observes political analyst Professor Dr Kishore Chandra Swain.
