Odisha Cong revamped ahead of elections

Seeking to get its act together in Odisha ahead of Lok Sabha and assembly polls, Congress today constituted several committees including a jumbo PCC in what appeared to be a 'please-all' exercise.
It also constituted a high-level pradesh election committee comprising all top leaders of the party in the state ruled by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik-led BJD since 2000.
The Pradesh Election Committee comprises PCC chief Jaydev Jena, union minister Srikant Jena, AICC spokesperson Bhakt Charan Das and former chief ministers Hemananda Biswal and Giridhar Gamang.
Elections to Odisha assembly are scheduled along with Lok Sabha polls and Congress is out of power in the state for nearly 15 years.

The committees formed included office bearers, Executive Committees of the PCC as also presidents of as many as 33 districts.
Congress recently brought in Jaydev Jena as PCC chief in place of Niranjan Patnaik who now finds a place as a special invitee to the Pradesh Election Committee. Niranjan's brother Somya Ranjan Patnaik was recently expelled by the party for alleged indiscipline. Somya is the son-in-law of Assam Governor J.B Patnaik who had dominated the Congress scene in the state for nearly two decades.
The newly-constituted PCC has as many as 12 vice presidents, 15 general secretaries, 45 secretaries and Chiranjib Biswal as its treasurer.