Challenges ahead for Deo

The newly appointed leadership for Orissa Pradesh Congress Committee headed by former Union minister KP Singh Deo on Saturday took charge to challenge the ruling BJD-BJP alliance which is eying for a third successive term in the forthcoming Assembly and Lok Sabha polls. However, to what extent the new team would be able to bring the nearly 10-year-long rule of Naveen Patnaik government to an end in just two months is in doubt.

Taking up the successive failure of state leadership, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) has tried to give a new face to the organisation by appointing an able and experienced leader like Deo, who has the distinction of being an MP six times since 1967, though he is completely new to state politics as a whole.

In order to strike a regional balance, the party high command has also appointed three working presidents: Union minister Chandrasekhar Sahu, former Union minister Bhakta Charan Das and seating MLA Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra who represent different regions of the state. Moreover to bring out a collective leadership, the party also appointed former chief minister JB Patnaik as a permanent invitee to the Congress Working Committee.

Earlier this week, the party preferred to replace onetime heavyweight JB Patnaik with Ramachandra Ulaka as the leader of Congress Legislature Party. Ulaka, a two time MP and seven-time MLA, according to many, is a better option considering his tribal connection. But, how far his leadership would able to influence the state politics is still a question. Patnaik’s omission from party’s top spot was also obvious after his weak posture in state politics after failing to corner the ruling BJD-BJP combine, despite occupying the chief minister chair for 14 years.

As far as KP Singh Deo is concerned, he has a good track record while being the Union minister in-charge of defence, and minister of information and broadcasting. But one worrying factor for him and the party is his consecutive defeat in his own constituency in Dhenkanal district, which was a traditional stronghold of Congress. However, this time taking the overall performance of the BJD administration he, too, would try to change his party’s performance in the Dhenkanal parliamentary constituency after the delimitation process.

Deo’s emergence to the state front with a clean image might do some favour to the party, but his over all planning along with all other top most party leaders without any dissident activity would then be able to bring any change in Congress’ tally of just two MPs while Orissa sends 21 members to the Lok Sabha.