Bhubaneswar, July 25: In the shifting sands of Odisha politics, a new strategy is unfolding—one that is as symbolic as it is strategic. Bhakta Charan Das, the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president, has rolled out what he metaphorically terms the Athakathi model, a traditional hunting technique repurposed as a political trap. And though it may sound quaint, it carries the weight of a carefully calibrated gambit aimed at unsettling both the ruling BJP and the weakened Biju Janata Dal (BJD).

At its core, the Athakathi is a sticky stick used to catch unsuspecting birds or animals—once stuck, escape is painful if not impossible. Das’s political version is similar: a no-confidence motion, anchored on the emotive and politically sensitive issue of women's safety, designed to entangle rivals in a moral and legislative dilemma. Whether or not the motion succeeds in the Assembly, the political intent is clear: to expose, provoke, and recast the Congress narrative in the state.

Numbers may be weak, but optics are strong

The Congress’s decision to move a no-confidence motion against Chief Minister Mohan Majhi’s government is bold, considering it holds only 14 seats in the 147-member Odisha Assembly—the bare minimum needed to table the motion, but far from the 74 required to pass it. On paper, it’s a losing battle. In practice, it is a shrewdly staged spectacle.

The Congress knows it cannot bring down the government, but it hopes to dominate the discourse. By centering the motion around women’s safety—a theme both potent and emotive—it aims to corner both BJP and BJD into uncomfortable positions. The move forces other parties, especially the BJD, to publicly choose sides. If the BJD backs out, Congress gets to paint it as hypocritical—vocal about women’s safety in protest marches but silent when it comes to legislative action.

Targeting the BJD first, BJP later

While Das appears to fire salvos at the BJP government, his real political target—at least for now—is the BJD. In Odisha’s current political hierarchy, the BJD remains the primary opposition in terms of numbers and perception. To emerge as the principal challenger to the BJP, Congress must first outflank the BJD. Das understands this well.

By placing the BJD in a bind—either support the motion or be labelled indifferent to women’s issues—Congress is creating space to reassert itself as the conscience of the opposition. Even a BJD abstention or hedged response offers the Congress an opening to question the party’s sincerity on gender rights.

Bhakta Das’s strategy is not merely to pass a motion—it is to pass judgment in the court of public opinion.

BJP's counterplan: History as a weapon

The BJP, for its part, is preparing for a counteroffensive. Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari has already hinted that should the motion be accepted for discussion, the saffron party will dredge up past Congress-era crimes—from the Chhabirani case in the 1980s to the Anjana Mishra case of the 1990s. The idea is to turn the spotlight backward and dilute the moral high ground the Congress seeks to occupy.

This, however, is a double-edged sword. While it may remind the public of Congress’s checkered past, it also acknowledges the seriousness of the issues being raised. For a government barely months into its tenure, such defensive posture so early could create the perception of vulnerability.

Internal Contradictions: Congress’s self-inflicted wound

Congress’s offensive, however, is not without complications. The recent arrest of its student wing leader Udit Pradhan on charges of rape has dealt a blow to the credibility of its women-centric campaign. This scandal threatens to turn the trap inward, weakening its moral argument and offering ammunition to rivals. Das now faces the challenge of holding his party’s narrative together while keeping internal damage in check.

What lies ahead: an arena, not a motion

With the monsoon session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly scheduled for September, the weeks ahead promise intrigue and maneuvering. The no-confidence motion is less about numbers and more about narrative. It will serve as a public arena—should it be admitted—where issues of gender justice, political hypocrisy, and historical accountability will collide.

The Congress’s strategy hinges on sustaining momentum and forcing its rivals into visible, perhaps irreversible choices. Whether Bhakta Das’s Athakathi catches his adversaries or ends up entangling his own party will depend on how the script unfolds in the Assembly and, more crucially, how it is perceived outside of it.

A game of visibility

In a state where the Congress has long ceded space to the BJD and now faces a BJP surge, this move by Bhakta Das is not just about legislative math. It is about reclaiming visibility, repositioning the party, and re-entering the public consciousness as a relevant voice.

It may not bring down a government, but if executed well, the Athakathi strategy could bring the Congress back into the political conversation in Odisha. In politics, as in hunting, the trap matters less than the timing—and Bhakta Das seems determined to prove that Congress can still strike when it matters.

(This article is written by senior journalist Akshaya Sahoo)

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