Bhubaneswar: A day after Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) disciplinary committee chairperson Sandhya Rani Mohapatra claimed that will no change of guard in the party's State leadership till 2019, senior leader Sarat Rout today questioned her authority for making such statements.
"Congress president Rahul Gandhi will take the decision on who will be the OPCC chief and how long the person will occupy the office. No one else has the right to speak on that," Rout stated.
He wondered as to how the decision of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) has been conveyed only to Sandhya Rani and no other leader was kept in loop or aware of such development.
"Why AICC will not speak on that clearly to other leaders of the State?" asked Rout.
In her reaction, Sandhya Rani said, "As the OPCC disciplinary committee chairperson, my job is to maintain discipline in the party. However, if any party member tries to violate the party discipline, they will have to face the music," adding that AICC has appointed her and bestowed power as well.
Yesterday, Mohapatra had said Prasad Harichandan would continue as the OPCC chief till 2019 general elections as AICC president Rahul Gandhi did not accepted his resignation.
Meanwhile, it is still unclear whether Prasad Harichandan had offered to quit following the party's debacle in recent Bijepur bypoll.
Only rumours are doing rounds in the political circle that Harichandan has tendered resignation as the OPCC chief.
In a media query on change of guard in OPCC, Harichandan stated, "The AICC president takes decision on party organisation."
On the other hand, senior leader Niranjan Patnaik feigned ignorance about the talks and said, "There will be no effect in the party whether Harichandan remains as OPCC chief or not."
He added central and State party leadership should work in tandem.