BHUBANESWAR: The Congress party in Odisha, under the stewardship of Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Bhakta Charan Das, appears to be charting a serious long-term strategy to reclaim lost political ground in the state. Once a dominant force in Odisha, the party has been out of power since 2000 and reduced to the third position in the state’s political hierarchy. However, recent moves suggest a determined bid for revival.
On Friday, the party showcased its intent with a high-decibel rally in Bhubaneswar, headed by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, and senior leader K.C. Venugopal. The rally, held under the banner ‘Sambidhan Banchao’ (Save the Constitution), drew over 60,000 party workers and grassroots leaders, signalling Congress’ renewed focus on Odisha ahead of the 2027 local body elections and the 2029 Assembly polls.
The Congress leadership launched scathing attacks on both the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre and the newly-formed Mohan Majhi government in Odisha. Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP governments of “undermining democratic institutions” and “neglecting people’s welfare.” The leaders also targeted the state government over alleged failures in law and order, rising atrocities against women, and weakening public services.
Political observers see the timing of the rally as strategic. With the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) — the state’s principal opposition party — facing organisational strain after its electoral defeat in 2024 and the declining health of its supremo Naveen Patnaik, the Congress is eyeing the vacuum to reposition itself as Odisha’s alternative. The BJD currently holds 51 seats in the 147-member Assembly, while Congress has 14. The ruling BJP commands a majority with 78 seats.
Insiders suggest that Congress’ immediate goal is to dislodge the BJD from the second spot in the 2027 rural and urban local body polls. Success there, party strategists believe, would galvanise its demoralised cadre base and build momentum for a larger comeback in the 2029 state elections.
This isn’t the first major outreach by the party in recent months. On March 28, the Odisha Congress had organised the ‘Nari Nyay’ (Justice for Women) rally, highlighting incidents of gender-based violence and accusing the state government of failing to safeguard women’s rights.
With its national leadership now showing greater involvement in state affairs, the Congress hopes to rebuild its presence through consistent grassroots mobilisation, issue-based campaigns, and strategic alliances. Whether this plan translates into electoral gains remains to be seen, but it has undoubtedly added a new dynamic to Odisha’s evolving political landscape.
