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| OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik. Telegraph picture |
Niranjan Patnaik, an old warhorse, has taken over the reins of the state Congress at a critical juncture. The 69-year-old leader, who has been a minister in the past, faces the challenge of turning around the party’s fortunes by welding it into a fighting unit. For the Congress, which has been out of power since 2000, it is now or never. He talks to Subhashish Mohanty.
What’s your immediate plan to rejuvenate the Congress party in the state?
I will visit each district and village to find out why the Congress lost last three consecutive elections. After my visit, taking all into confidence, I will prepare a base plan and act accordingly.
You are a senior Congress leader and still unaware of the reasons for the Congress defeat in the last three Assembly elections?
Don’t talk about the past. We have to move forward. We have to reach out to the people to find out the exact reasons for the Congress defeat. We will also tell the people how the state government has failed to spend the money provided by the Centre. Our senior leader Jagdish Tytler has already raised 14 questions and the BJD has been unable to give a single satisfactory reply. Instead of giving replies, they are posing questions related to the Railway budget. I must say that the Centre has given more funds to the railway sector compared to the previous years.
There are a number of factions in the Congress party. How do you plan to work with them?
There are no factions. All this is media creation. The Congress is a big family and we are all united. I will assign work to everyone according to his merit and no one will find time to indulge in any other activity. I will not allow any one to sit idle as an idle mind is a devil’s workshop.
Rahul Gandhi has been able to attract the youth to the party at the national level. How do you plan to do it here?
Yes, I will accord utmost priority to the youths in the party. However, I will also continue to give weightage to the SC and ST , women and weaker section of the society. We will also interact with the AICC on this issue constantly.
How can Congress fight Naveen Patnaik’s image?
What image are you talking about ? You think Naveen’s cultivated image is still there? I have nothing personal against any one. There are a number of issues including mining scam, dal scam, coal scam and several other scams that have surfaced. We will target Naveen on these issues. The count down has begun.
But how can Congress raise the mining issue when its leaders are involved in the mining scam?
Tell me the names of the Congress leaders involved in the mining scam. It’s the BJD leaders who are involved in the mining scam. However, there might be one or two people from Congress involved in the mining business.
How do you plan to deal with the “ Patnaik factor” in the party? People are of the view that the Congress is promoting the Patnaik family in the party.
Naveen Patnaik also belongs to a Patnaik family. After Biju Babu’s demise, Naveen entered politics. Now the finance minister Prafulla Ghadai’s son is in politics. You should not corner someone by raising these issues. If I love my people, they will certainly love me. The sole objective should be to work for the people.
How do you view the opinion that Congress leaders who lost the last elections should contest zilla parishad elections?
I don’t favour this proposal. A lot of hue and cry had already been made over this issue. It should stop now. Our senior leaders have already made it clear that the proposal should be dropped. They will mainly be involved in coordinating things and ensure that the party wins the Panchayat election in 2012.
What’s your plans for panchayat elections?
No immediate plans. However, I will focus on a long term plan and act accordingly. I am obliged to Naveen Patnaik that he has given us an advantage by not doing anything in the past 11 years. The BJD government has just looted the state. This is a golden opportunity for the party to return to power. We will work together to ensure that it happens.