Prasad to continue as OPCC chief till 2019

Bhubaneswar: Putting all speculations over change of guard in Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) to rest, chairperson of the state unit’s discipline committee Sandhya Rani Mohapatra on Saturday informed that Prasad Harichandan would be at the helm of affairs till 2019 general elections.

Though Prasad Harichandan had offered to quit in the wake of the party’s humiliating debacle in the recent Bijepur bypoll, All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Rahul Gandhi did not accept his resignation, informed Mohapatra.

Rahul Gandhi is not in favour of change of guard now as it would be difficult for a new president to manage the party affairs by reorganising the party ahead of the 2019 elections which is likely to be held in the next eight to nine months time.