Jagdish Tytler (third from left) with other leaders of the state Congress at a recent meeting. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, April 9: The state Congress, which has been lying dormant for the last several years, has suddenly become aggressive ever since Jagdish Tytler took charge.

On the last day of the budget session of the state assembly yesterday, the Congress legislators with renewed vigour attacked the BJD government for its alleged involvement in port scam. In fact, the issue was first raised by Tytler on his arrival here two days ago.

“I have been in the Congress for the last 40 years. I have never come across such a leader who can activate the party. The party which has been dormant for years will certainly be pro-active. His announcement to fight against the corruption in the party will refurbish the party’s image,” said former minister and a vocal leader Suresh Routray.

The leaders felt that Tytler could motivate the party cadres. “Tytler has asked the party leadership to prepare the list of the district collectors who are working as the agent of the party rather than concentrating on implementation of various welfare schemes.. He also assured that once he received the list of the district collectors, he would submit in the Ministry of Home Affairs for taking necessary action against those partisan officials,” said another party leader requesting anonymity. Before his departure for New Delhi last night, Tytler met all the Pradesh Congress Committee and AICC members from Orissa.

“During the meeting it was discussed how to strengthen the party’s organisational base,” said a senior leader. Tytler also asked the leaders to formulate a plan on how to establish a coordination between the district level-party functionaries and the party workers at grassroot level.

It was decided that more padayatras and cycle rallies would be organised at the grassroot level to gear up the party machinery before the panchayat elections due next year. During these padayatras and rallies, scams and failures of the Naveen Patnaik government would be highlighted.

Tytler also asked leaders to bury their differences and work unitedly to bring the party back to power “At no cost indiscipline will be tolerated,” he cautioned party leaders. He also warned leaders not to join hands with the mining mafias and the ruling party. Former chief minister and former PCC chief Giridhar Gamang, who had recently announced not to contest the next elections, said: “The party will come back to power under Tytler’s leadership.”

The faction-ridden Congress in Orissa has been out of power since 2000.