New Delhi: The All India Congress Committee (AICC) Saturday declared the names of new district working presidents for the party in Odisha as state party leaders met Congress president Rahul Gandhi here.
A team of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) led by OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik Saturday met Rahul Gandhi at his residence here to discuss issues affecting the party in the state and also brainstormed on the roadmap for the 2019 elections.
During the meeting of the state Congress delegates with Rahul discussions were also held on ways to raise the Mahanadi controversy in the state, plans to counter the aggressive campaign by the BJP in the state and to boost the party’s base in the state.
Odisha party in-charge Jitender Singh told newsmen, “We are working on preparing a new list of district working presidents, for some bigger districts even more than one. We will try to ensure the rights of the people of the state. Mahanadi is their right and we would fight for that.”
Later in the evening as per the announcement of the party, the AICC released the list of district working presidents. While the list had multiple names for some districts like Mayurbhanj, Bargarh, Angul, Sundargarh, Khurda, Keonjhar, Nayagarh and others, names were still not mentioned for regions like Cuttack city, Nabarangpur, Rayagada and Nuapada.
Ganjam and Mayurbhanj are the only two districts where the AICC has nominated four working presidents.
The meeting of state Congress leaders with the Rahul went for around two hours. Meanwhile, it was reported that the state party unit has urged the leader to visit the state to counter the aggressive campaign of the BJP.
According to sources, Rahul may visit the state in July or August to boost the morale of party workers. The party also plans to bring tribals and the Dalits onboard.
PNN