Bhubaneswar, Jan. 27: Infighting in the Congress has come to the fore with two factions organising separate functions on the same day in the city.

The Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) is planning to hold a convention in Bhubaneswar on February 2 to commemorate completion of the 10th year of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, the flagship programme of the erstwhile UPA government at the Centre, while the Youth Congress state unit is also planning Garjan Samavesh (roar convention) rally on the same day.

Pradesh Congress Committee sources said the All India Congress Committee (AICC) had instructed all the state units to celebrate the completion of 10th year of the rural job scheme in a big way to remind t he people about the achievements of the UPA government.

"We will celebrate the occasion on the directions of the All India Congress Committee," said a PCC leader.

Party sources said that apart from the AICC general secretary in charge B.K. Hariprasad, a central leader would attend the programme as an observer. "We will utilise the occasion to make the people aware of the UPA government's achievements," he said.

The PCC, however, has found itself in a tizzy over the Youth Congress initiative to hold its meet on the same day. The Youth Congress had earlier announced to hold the rally on January 18, which was subsequently postponed to February 2.

State Youth Congress president Rajat Ray told The Telegraph: "Our programme stands. We have not received any communication for changing the programme."

All India Youth Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja and party leaders Raj Babbar and Suraj Hegde are scheduled to attend the Youth Congress rally, said Ray.

Sources said Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra, senior Congress leader and former state Youth Congress president, was the brain behind the rally, which is said to be a show of strength for him.

In the past one-and-a-half months, Youth Congress workers had been in the forefront in opposing the ministers' visits to the districts. Mohapatra, who wields a considerable clout among the Youth Congress workers, had been supporting them.

A rally of this sort in the city is expected to give a boost to his control over the youth organisation. Known for his ability to mobilise the Youth Congress workers, Mohapatra is sparing no efforts to make the rally a grand success.

PCC chief Prasad Harichandan and Mohapatra declined to comment about their respective functions. A Harichandan supporter said that since the AICC had decided on the date of their function, there was no question of changing it.

Mohapatra's supporters assert that the central leadership is aware of their programme and many central leaders would attend the rally on February 2. Party sources said efforts were on to resolve the dispute between the two leaders.