Party had lost touch with people, Congress' Jitendra Singh tells WION

Like West Bengal and Kerala, Odisha is also a new frontier for the BJP. It wants to dislodge Congress as the principal Opposition which has been out of power for 19 years. Jitendra Singh, former MOS Sports has been given charge of Odisha by Congress President Rahul Gandhi. He admits that Congress went through an organizational disarray in the state but is trying to make up for it quick and fast.

Rahul Gandhi has already posted an AICC team which is looking at the party issues closely. Odisha state polls are coterminous with Lok Sabha elections. The state has been ruled by BJD led Naveen Patnaik for straight 19 years. Jitendra Singh spoke with WION on his plans to revive the party in the state.

WION: You are in charge of a state which Congress has not won since 2000. Are you at all in the race in Odisha?

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Jitendra Singh: We are in the race in the state and people are fed up with BJD. Odisha’s economy is in shambles. Infrastructure does not exist and jobs are none. Law and order is another issue which requires serious attention of the state government. Lot of work was done during UPA 1 and UPA 2 and industries did come to Odisha when we are at Centre.

WION: But when it came to Vedanta, Rahul Gandhi went to Niyamgiri and the whole project stalled

Jitendra Singh: Industries need to come but rights of the local people need to be kept in mind. The local tribal sentiment was against that particular industry in Odisha and then there environmental issues in Niyamgiri too. Congress is not against industries but whenever an industry comes it needs to be in concurrence with the local people.

WION: How do you expect to bridge the vote gap between Congress and BJD? The difference between them and you is in double digits?

Jitendra Singh: People have faith in the Congress. The way we have regrouped and reorganized ourselves has made a difference. Though I must admit that Congress had lost its touch with people as grassroots organizational work was lacking. People still have affection for the Gandhis.

WION: Isn’t Congress worried that BJP has emerged as a principal player in Odisha? Have you seen the way BJP swept Tripura and displaced both CPM and Congress?

Jitendra Singh: My counter argument is that what has been BJP’s performance in Tripura and Assam. That too is an issue.

WION: Bottomline is that they won the elections

Jitendra Singh: Yes, they won the elections and then completely destroyed those states. People of Odisha are very learned and understand that the BJP’s performance in those states has been abysmal. The party stands nowhere in Odisha. BJP is pumping money for the pomp and show whereas they are nowhere in the game.

WION: You are very optimistic but the fact of the matter is that Congress even failed to take advantage of the infighting taking place in BJD

Jitendra Singh: Congress Party has stepped up. For example, Mahanadi is a big issue in the state where water is being shared between Odisha and Chattisgarh. BJD has suddenly woken up to this issue before the elections. Even BJP in Odisha has woken up but they also have a government in Chattisgarh and the issue remains unresolved. We have taken up this issue apart from chit funds. We rather stand on our feet than running after Jay Panda who left BJD. Though the door of the Congress Party is open.

WION: Isn’t it right that Odisha Congress has not emerged from the political consequence of the cyclone which hit Odisha and its top state leadership went missing during the disaster?

Jitendra Singh: I would not say that the leadership went missing. Congress did workduring the cyclone and did its bit and I don’t think that it is an issue today.

WION: Who are your leaders?

Jitendra Singh: We have lots of leaders and very capable leaders. We have Niranjan Patnaik, Mr Biswal, Pradip Manjhi and Bhakta Charan Das. We have young leaders coming up. We have three working presidents in the state.

WION: When Rahul Gandhi gave you the charge of the state, what were the deficits you encountered?

Jitendra Singh: I felt that thegrassrootconnect was missing and there was uncertainty in the organizational structure and factionalism existed. These challenges have been overcome. There is a strong team from AICC parked in Odisha which is visiting blocks and districts. We have a new line up of young leaders coming up as working president in the districts. We are in the process of organizational restructuring right from the top.

WION: What is your electoral slogan for the coming elections in the state?

Jitendra Singh: We are still working on it but it will be around the pride of Odisha and how the BJP and the BJD have destroyed it.

WION: Lastly, is Congress looking for alliances in the state?

Jitendra Singh: We have not looked into the issue but we are open to the idea of a tie-up with regional players. That can be worked out in future.