Rahul in Odisha to rejuvenate Cong ahead of general election

Cuttack, February 18, 2013: In a bid to rejuvenate the party in Odisha ahead of the next general election, due next year, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Monday embarked on a two-day visit to the state to hold brain-storming sessions with partymen.

In his first tour to the state after being elevated as AICC's second-in-command, Gandhi's visit is seen as an exercise aimed at gearing up the organisation for the polls as Congress has been out of power in Odisha since 2000, political analysts said.

The Gandhi scion, who was accorded a warm welcome on his arrival here by AICC's Odisha in-charge Jagdish Tytler and Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) President Niranjan Patnaik, interacted with party office-bearers and MLAs from 17 organisational districts.

A tight security net was thrown around the venue and the deliberations were not open to media. A Congress leader said, "Party workers are enthusiastic about meeting Rahulji and sharing their views with him."

Another senior leader said Gandhi wants partymen to gear up for the general elections and bolster the poll prospects of Congress.

"The focus is to strengthen party organisation at grassroot level so that Congress can take on the ruling BJD effectively," he said.

The Amethi MP, who is slated to visit Cuttack tomorrow, met district and block level office-bearers of the party and its women, youth and student wings from western and southern regions of Odisha in different batches.

Gandhi is also scheduled to interact with panchayat and block representatives owing allegiance to Congress, which appears to be placing considerable emphasis on improving its show in Odisha.

Rahul's programme in Sambalpur is significant as it is likely to boost the morale of party workers in its traditional stronghold further.

Five of the six sitting Lok Sabha MPs of Congress are from these 17 organisational districts with whose leaders Gandhi interacted on the first leg of his Odisha visit.

Barring Balasore, the remaining five sitting Congress Lok Sabha MPs are from western and southern parts of the state.

After his day-long programme at Sambalpur, Gandhi would visit Cuttack.He would interact with panchayat, block and district-level office-bearers of the Congress from several other districts at a personal level on February 19 at Cuttack, a senior party leader said.

Gandhi is also scheduled to attend a meeting with members of the extended working committee the same day at Cuttack, he said. Rahulji's visit will certainly encourage party workers," the party leader said.