Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Congress Executive Committee meeting Saturday discussed the party’s strategy for next year’s Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections, a senior leader said.
The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) held its State Executive Committee meeting at a hotel instead of its state headquarters reportedly due to agitation by supporters of Barabati-Cuttack MLA Mohammad Moquim and ex-OPCC working president Chiranjib Biswal, who were suspended from the party on July 15.
OPCC president Sarat Pattnayak claimed that the meeting did not discuss the suspension matter.
Pattnayak claimed that there was no dissidence in the party and all are united to fight against the BJD and the BJP.
“Suspension of Moquim and Biswal are individual matters which can be discussed in different forum. The state executive meeting focused on the ensuing 2024 general elections. We are preparing a blueprint,” Pattanayak told reporters.
The AICC had suspended Moquim and Biswal on charges of indulging in anti-party activities.
Meanwhile, on the sideline of the state executive meeting, AICC general secretary and Odisha Congress in-charge A Chella Kumar alleged that the state administration was hijacked by a bureaucrat.
“The governance system in the state has been hijacked. There have been attacks on governance and democracy in the state”, he said.
Chhela Kumar said that though BJD is in power for the last 23 years, its ministers and MLAs are making arrangements for the bureaucrat while he visits districts.
PTI
