Congress to Gherao Odisha Assembly on March 27 over Women’s Safety, Leader’s Suspension
The Congress, which lost power to the BJD-BJP alliance in 2000, has struggled to regain political relevance in the state. Internal divisions, neglect from the central leadership, and the absence of a clear political agenda have weakened the party’s position.
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) has announced plans to gherao the State Assembly on March 27 in protest against the alleged rise in atrocities against women and the suspension of senior leader Tara Prasad Bahinipati for his alleged “unruly” behavior.
The decision was taken during a meeting at the Congress Bhawan, chaired by state party chief Bhakta Charan Das. This marks an escalation in the Congress’s aggressive posture under Das’s leadership, both inside and outside the Odisha Legislative Assembly.
The party has seized on the issue of women’s safety to corner the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). On Monday and Tuesday, Congress MLAs created a commotion in the Assembly, demanding a response from Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.
Bahinipati, a five-time MLA from Jeypore, was seen climbing onto the Speaker’s podium and damaging the microphone. In response, Speaker Surama Padhy suspended him for seven days on Tuesday, citing disorderly conduct.
The Congress, which lost power to the BJD-BJP alliance in 2000, has struggled to regain political relevance in the state. Internal divisions, neglect from the central leadership, and the absence of a clear political agenda have weakened the party’s position.
In the 2004 Assembly elections, the Congress secured 14 seats — just five more than its tally in 2019. Its performance in national elections has been similarly dismal, winning only one of Odisha’s 21 Lok Sabha seats in the last election.
Political analysts suggest that the Congress is now positioning itself as the primary opposition to the BJP by stepping into the political void left by the BJD’s diminished presence.
“The BJD, which lost power to the BJP in the 2024 elections after more than two decades in office, won 51 of the 147 Assembly seats but has been relatively subdued in its opposition. Naveen Patnaik appears hesitant to confront the BJP head-on, creating an opportunity for the Congress to emerge as the main opposition force,” said political analyst Sriram Dash.
With the BJD’s muted stance, the Congress is betting that sustained pressure on issues like women’s safety will help it reclaim lost political ground in Odisha.