Rahul Gandhi visits Odisha, holds talks with grass root Congress leaders

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi concluded his two-day visit to Odisha on Tuesday with a warning to those trying to disrupt party unity. He interacted with Congress leaders at all levers from top to bottom.

Rahul exhorted partymen to work unitedly to bring the party back to power in the State. He offered a   3-point solution to improve the party’s prospects: offering tickets in time, bringing in unity and empowering grassroots leaders. Addressing party leaders in Cuttack, the Rahul Gandhi said that the Congress has a healthy vote share of about 30 per cent in the State and it requires discipline and unity to ensure a victory in the next elections. After meeting officials of the party in the State for two days, Rahul Gandhi said he was aware that a few individuals are unnecessarily trying to create indiscipline and disunity weakening the party and that he would take ‘’strict disciplinary action’’ against such disruptive activities.

The visit comes at an opportune time when the BJD Government is desperately trying to counter anti-incumbency and internal dissension in the party by announcing many populist schemes. In fact, Rahul Gandhi criticised Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for ‘falsely claiming’ different programmes and schemes as his own. The BJD Government is using the funds provided by the Congress Government at the Centre for launching the schemes. The people of Odisha are aware of the scheming of the BJD and will give an apt reply in the elections, Rahul told mediapersons as he wound up his two-day visit to the State here.

The Congress scion addressed the Extended State Executive of Pradesh Congress Committee, emphasising on discipline and unity within the party. The two days have been very eventful. The meetings with the panchayat, block and district functionaries have given a clear picture on the state of affairs here, he said. “The party organisation surely is short of discipline which needs to be addressed. I do not have a magic wand but the Congress sure has the power to absorb the shocks and take a course correction’’, he stressed. Speaking on the outcome of the two-day visit, OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik said Rahul Gandhi has a clear vision for the party in the State. “He has given his advice on resurrecting the organisation and  we will be working towards implementing them at the earliest’’, Niranjan said.

Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh said the extended executive committee was highly successful. “Rahul has laid a roadmap for us to follow and achieve the goals,” party leaders  indicated.