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AICC woos suspended leaders

BHUBANESWAR: In a bid to strengthen the party’s base in Orissa ahead of the forthcoming civic body polls, the All-India Congress Committee on Wednesday revoked suspension of as many as 80 party leaders of the State who had been suspended from the party during the past few years.

The list of the leaders whose suspension was revoked was made public after the same was approved by Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

The revocation of the suspension of so many leaders at one go indicated that the AICC had started putting the State unit in poll mode.

The leaders whose suspension was revoked include two sitting legislators – Subal Sahu from Bargarh Assembly seat and Kartik Mohapatra from Soro segment – and 10 former MLAs.

Mr. Sahu had been placed under suspension recently following allegations that he had sexually harassed a woman from his constituency.

Talking to The Hindu over the phone from New Delhi, party’s Orissa in charge and Union Minister of State for Urban Development Ajay Maken said the revocation of the suspension of the 80 leaders was a step to cement the differences among various factions in the party’s State unit. Mr. Maken said the AICC was also planning to make several changes in the Pradesh Congress Committee as well as various wings of the party soon.

Mr. Maken, however, clarified that there was no question of dropping Jayadeb Jena as president of the Pradesh Congress Committee before the next Assembly and Lok Sabha polls.

The restructuring of the various wings would include the most crucial committee that maintains coordination between the Pradesh Congress Committee and the Congress Legislature Party.

The 10 former MLAs whose suspension was revoked are Chinmaya Prasad Behura, Purusottam Sethi, Pabitra Jena, Lalatendu Mohapatra, Bijay Nayak, Maheswar Majhi, Harihar Sahoo, Judhisthir Samantray, Pravat Mohapatra and Ranjit Bhitiria.

Reacting to the development, the PCC president said the return of the suspended party leaders would add to the party’s organisational strength in the run up to the civic body polls that were scheduled to be held in 92 of the 103 municipal bodies.

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