You have expressed your concern over the miserable defeat of the Congress party in the recently held Kandhamal Lok Sabha by-election. What prompted you to voice your views publicly?

Whatever I am doing is for the benefit of the party. One must think about the drastic fall in the vote share of the Congress in the by election to the Kandhamal Lok Sabha seat. What does it indicate? We even lost our security deposit this time. It is a warning for all of us that if corrective and timely measures are not taken, we will be finished by 2019.

You too campaigned for the party candidate in the Kandhamal election. What went wrong that the party candidate lost his security deposit? While the BJD won the election by securing more than 4.8 lakh votes, your party just got only 90,000 votes.

There are many factors responsible for the defeat. The first reason was drastic changes in national politics. The BJP came to power at the Centre. The BJP workers were energised, and they also polled some votes in the state. The second reason is that here both the Congress and the BJP failed to project various issues effectively and reach the people.

Are you saying that in the next five years, the Congress will become irrelevant in the state?

(Pauses) If this situation continues, it will be difficult for the party to stage a comeback. However, such a situation came in 1977 as well, but at that time, we bounced back. We are the oldest party and if senior leaders are united and work with a mission in mind, the party can be revived vigorously. Another thing we must understand is that Naveen Patnaik has become stronger by default. He has not done anything for the state. Since the Congress and the BJP have failed to perform, the role of an effective Opposition, Naveen has taken advantage of it. We have to reach out to the people and apprise them of the issues affecting the state.

How can you hope that the party will come back to power when no fresh blood is being infused into it? Even a group of youth leaders left your party recently.

Yes, this is a matter of concern. The younger generation is not attracted to the state Congress as we have failed continuously to make a good show in the elections. Besides, people belonging to the older generation are not prepared to give way to the younger ones. On the issue of youth leaders leaving the party, it may be that the leadership has failed to repose confidence in them.

Don’t you think that the present leadership is responsible for the miserable defeat of the party? People even raised fingers at former Union minister Srikant Jena for the party’s debacle in the last election.

At this moment, I don’t want to indulge in any blame game. All are responsible for the party’s defeat. This is not the time to criticise others.

There are allegations that the Congress tickets were sold before the general elections and undeserving candidates got the tickets. How do you respond to it?

I had also heard about it and came across such news items in various newspapers. An inquiry should be ordered to ascertain whether there is any truth in the statements or the allegations were made to defame the leadership.

Should Jaydev Jena be allowed to continue as the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president?

Who am I to comment on this issue? The high command has made him the president. On the other hand, if Jaydev babu realises why the Congress in the state has lost its strength and takes corrective measures keeping the past elections in mind, the party will certainly emerge stronger in the coming days.

There is a public perception that if Jagdish Tytler and Niranjan Patnik had been allowed to continue at the helm of affairs of the state unit, the Congress could have done better in the elections. How do you react to it?

(Pause) This is not time for self-glorification. This is the time to introspect. We should think about what went wrong and how can we come back to power. All senior leaders should be united.

Don’t you think that unnecessary intervention by the high command is also a reason for the party’s defeat?

The party high command always thinks for the good of the party. So I cannot comment on it.

There is a demand among a section of leaders that Priyanka Gandhi should join active politics and the party should project her. As a senior leader, how do you see this?

Who am I to say whether she should join politics. She comes from a political family, whose members have dedicated their lives to the country. It is her personal decision. On the issue of projecting a leader, I have the view that no one projects anyone. It is the people who project a leader.

The party has already announced a membership drive. However, it has failed to generate the required response…

The party leaders are already demoralised. We have only won 16 Assembly seats and not a single Lok Sabha seat. At this point, it will certainly be difficult for the party to garner necessary support for the membership drive. But being a national party, it is mandatory for us to go ahead with the membership drive.

What have you learnt from your 40-year experience in politics? How politics has changed since 1980s?

As long as corrupt and dishonest people are not removed from politics, it is not possible for the state to grow. Besides, money is now playing a major role in day-to-day politics.

The Central Empowered Committee has pointed out a mining scam in the state. People have again started raising fingers at your family as your family members are involved in the mining business. You must be finding yourself in an awkward situation…

I am the first person who had demanded a CBI probe into the mining scam. Whosoever is involved in the loot of minerals should be prosecuted. But no one has ever looked into the issue of massive loot of minerals from outside the lease area. Who are the people involved in it? Can you imagine that without the ruling party’s patronage, all such illegal activities could have thrived? All this should be inquired into. Without going into details, no one should throw mud at anyone.

Which member of your family will you promote in politics?

I will not promote anyone. I have sons and nephews. If they are interested, they can come to politics on their own.

Perhaps you are saying this because you have had a bitter experience with your younger brother Soumya Ranjan Patnaik being thrown out of the Congress ahead of the general elections?

(Pause) That is not the issue. If anyone (from my family) is interested, he can come and try his luck. I will not promote anyone. We have not even discussed the issue in the family.

The Congress is not coming back to power at least for the next five years. The party has also sidelined you. How do you see your future at this moment?

(Smiles) I will continue to work for the people. If I can contribute something for the growth of the state, it will certainly make me happy.