Senior Odisha Congress leaders slam Mohammed Moquim over letter against PCC chief

Internal tensions within the Odisha Congress resurfaced on Thursday after several senior leaders strongly reacted to Mohammed Moquim’s open challenge to Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Bhakta Das in his letter to Sonia Gandhi.

According to reports, senior Congress leaders Suresh Routray, Jayadev Jena and Ananta Sethi have expressed displeasure over Moquim’s letter.

Suresh Routray criticised Moquim’s actions, stating that he was “ruining his daughter’s career” by engaging in such behaviour. Routray further remarked that Moquim should “mind his own business,” adding that if he wished to form a new party, he was free to do so. He also questioned why Moquim’s letter reached the media in the first place.

Ananta Sethi, too, questioned the intention behind making the letter public. “If he (Moquim) had concerns, he should have informed the High Command. Going straight to the media was not appropriate,” Sethi said, adding that he did not support Moquim’s approach.

Also Read: Mohammed Moquim slams Odisha Congress leadership in letter to Sonia Gandhi

Meanwhile, Jayadev Jena also disagreed with Moquim’s statements. He said it was improper to question the age of Kharge (Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge). Commenting on Moquim’s claim that he was unable to meet Rahul Gandhi, Jena said that was Moquim’s personal issue.

“Rahul understands the sentiments of the entire nation. I have already received a response to the letter I had written. Creating an issue out of this was unnecessary,” Jena added.

Notably, Moquim had expressed deep dissatisfaction in a letter to Sonia Gandhi, questioning the party’s decision to appoint Das as PCC chief in 2025 despite his three consecutive Lok Sabha election defeats.