Synopsis
Bhubaneswar's Bhakta Charan Das has been appointed as the new president of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee, succeeding Sarat Pattanayak. He aims to rejuvenate the Congress presence in the state while expressing gratitude to key party leaders for their trust.Key Takeaways
- Bhakta Charan Das appointed OPCC chief.
- Successor to Sarat Pattanayak.
- Plans to restore Congress prominence.
- Invites former party members to return.
- Vows to collaborate with all party leaders.
Bhubaneswar, Feb 11 (NationPress) Longtime Congress figure and former Union Minister Bhakta Charan Das has been named the new head of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC), succeeding Sarat Pattanayak.
According to a press release from AICC, the Congress President has appointed Bhakta Charan Das as the President of the OPCC, effective immediately.
This senior Congress official has previously held the roles of working president and general secretary of the OPCC.
In a statement to reporters, Das expressed gratitude to Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and party president Mallikarjun Kharge for their trust in appointing him as the OPCC leader.
The newly appointed OPCC president pledged to fulfill his responsibilities by leveraging his extensive experience in organizing various movements and the simplicity he has maintained in his personal life.
Das emphasized his intention to collaborate with both senior and junior leaders as well as party workers. He also extended an invitation to those who had left Congress in the past and had faith in the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, Kharge, and Sonia Gandhi to rejoin the party.
He expressed his vision to restore the Congress party's prominence in the state. Das first entered the Odisha legislative assembly from the Bhawanipatna constituency in Kalahandi district on a Janata Party ticket, serving from 1985 to 1989.
The new OPCC president was subsequently elected to the Ninth Lok Sabha on a Janata Dal ticket in 1989. He also held positions as Deputy Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs, and Union Minister of State for Railways at the Center between 1990 and 1991.
Das was re-elected to the Lok Sabha from the Kalahandi constituency in 1996 and again in 2009.
His political journey began with his involvement in the Sangharsha Vahini, founded by Lokanayak Jaiprakash Narayan in 1977.
He has organized several training camps, relief initiatives, and conventions at various levels concerning party affairs. He has also led Padyatras and cycle yatras across the state addressing different social issues. Das was actively involved in the J.P. movement in 1975 as a student leader.
