Expelled Congress leader Mohammed Moquim on Sunday announced that he will launch a new political party, the Odisha Janata Congress, on April 8.

The party will be formally unveiled at the exhibition ground in Bhubaneswar, where its manifesto and logo will also be released.

Moquim said the new outfit would prioritise the empowerment of women, Dalits, tribals and other weaker sections of society. “There is a political vacuum in the state, and the emergence of a new political outfit is the need of the hour,” he said.

The former Cuttack MLA added that the party’s flag and necessary documents had already been finalised. A statewide membership drive will begin on the launch day. “We will connect with the grassroots and focus on public welfare, development and governance,” Moquim said.

He maintained that he had received the necessary approval from the Election Commission of India to float the party.

Political observers, however, say only time will tell whether the new outfit can establish itself as a credible regional force in Odisha’s crowded political landscape.

Moquim was expelled by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in December 2025 for alleged anti-party activities. His daughter, Sofia Firdous, is currently the Congress MLA from the Cuttack-Barabati constituency.

Corruption cuffs

The Odisha vigilance on Sunday arrested a government engineer for allegedly amassing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income, officials said.

Pramod Kumar Ray, assistant executive engineer in the Derabish irrigation sub-division under Kendrapara irrigation division, was apprehended a day after disproportionate assets were found in his possession, officials said.

Additional inputs from PTI