OPCC Chief Bhakta Das’s Athakathi Model Shakes Up Odisha Politics
26 July 2025 9:55 AM IST26 July 2025 9:55 AM IST
The term Athakathi, traditionally used to describe a sticky tool for trapping birds or small animals, is a fitting allegory for Das’s recent political moves
Bhakta Charan Das, president of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) (ANI)
Bhubaneswar: In Odisha’s fast-evolving political scenario, Bhakta Charan Das, the recently appointed president of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC), seems to be deploying a distinctly unconventional strategy to regain political relevance for the Congress. With a political vocabulary drawn from rural hunting practices, Das’s “Athakathi model” is not just metaphorical—it reflects a layered attempt to outmaneuver both the ruling BJP and the once-dominant Biju Janata Dal (BJD), with an eye on recapturing lost ground.
The term Athakathi, traditionally used to describe a sticky tool for trapping birds or small animals, according to political commentators, is a fitting allegory for Das’s recent political moves. By threatening a no-confidence motion against the Mohan Majhi-led BJP government over the issue of women's safety, Das is not just launching an attack—he’s laying a political snare designed to corner his rivals into revealing their priorities, loyalties, and vulnerabilities.
Congress’s Calculated Bid: No Numbers, but Maximum Optics
The Congress currently holds 14 seats in the Odisha Legislative Assembly—just enough to table a no-confidence motion, but far short of the 74 votes required to see it through. On the surface, it may appear to be an act of political bravado. But in reality, it’s a move calibrated more for public perception than parliamentary success.
By staking moral ground on the issue of women's safety, the Congress seeks to take the lead in a domain where both the BJP and BJD have drawn criticism. Whether or not the motion is passed is beside the point; what matters is who is seen standing where when the dust settles.
If the BJD refuses to back the motion, Das and the Congress can position the party as complicit in the BJP’s “failures” on gender safety, despite its own past rhetoric on women’s rights. Conversely, if the motion is accepted for discussion, Congress gains a vital opportunity: a public platform in the Assembly to recount recent incidents of violence against women and strengthen its moral credentials before a wider audience.
A Two-Front Attack With a Hidden Priority
While Bhakta Das’s campaign appears to target both the BJP and BJD, a closer reading reveals that the immediate pressure is on the BJD. The strategy is clear: to re-establish the Congress as the principal opposition force in Odisha, it must first dislodge the BJD from its position as the de facto challenger to the BJP.
By forcing the BJD to either side with the BJP or support the Congress-led motion, Das is applying pressure on a party still finding its footing after its electoral losses. The BJD’s ambiguous stand so far—and its silence on supporting the motion—leaves it vulnerable to criticism from both sides.
BJP’s Response: Preparing the Counter-Narrative
The BJP, meanwhile, has not remained passive. Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari has signalled that if a debate is triggered, the saffron party will retaliate by dredging up the Congress’s chequered history in the state—from the infamous Chhabirani rape and murder case of the 1980s to the Anjana Mishra case of the 1990s.
This is a classic BJP tactic—shifting the focus from present failures to past culpability. It’s an attempt not just to deflect blame but to discredit Congress’s moral high ground. However, the effectiveness of this strategy depends on how successfully Congress can manage its messaging in the public domain.
Congress’s Internal Weakness: The Udit Pradhan Cloud
Bhakta Das’s offensive, however, comes at a time when the Congress itself is on the defensive due to the arrest of its student wing leader Udit Pradhan on rape charges. This undermines the very foundation of its women-safety plank. The party must now walk a tightrope—sustaining a campaign on women’s rights while dealing with internal contradictions.
How Congress manages this double-edged dilemma—attacking rivals while cleaning its own house—will define the credibility of its campaign.
Looking Ahead: Will the ‘Athakathi’ Stick?
“Bhakta Das’s Athakathi model is not without precedent. Indian politics is rich in metaphor and strategic showmanship. But whether this sticky trap ensnares its targets or recoils on its wielder will depend on how events unfold between now and the next Assembly session in September,” says Sriram Dash, a veteran political commentator.
Dash adds: “For now, one thing is clear: by initiating a no-confidence motion, even without the numbers to win, Das has shifted the political discourse in Odisha. He has given the Congress a narrative, stirred both ruling and opposition camps, and ensured that the spotlight returns—at least momentarily—to a party long overshadowed in the state.”
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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