‘Who is he?’ Odisha Congress chief Bhakta Das slams former MLA Mohammed Moquim

The internal discord within the Odisha Congress sharpened on Monday after PCC president Bhakta Charan Das strongly defended the party’s decision to expel former MLA Mohammed Moquim from its primary membership, accusing him of undermining the organisation by taking internal grievances to the media.

Responding to questions from journalists, Das questioned Moquim’s stature within the party and said his conduct indicated a lack of commitment to Congress. “Who is he? He has won just one Assembly election,” Das said.

Emphasising that the party provides adequate forums to address grievances, the PCC chief said, “Every member of the party has the right to raise issues if he/she faces injustice. The party leadership listens, and we have various committees for this purpose. Odisha even has a PAC, of which he was a member. His matter could have been taken up there as well.”

While acknowledging that Moquim had written to Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, Das questioned the intent behind making the letter public. “It is understandable that he wrote a letter to Sonia Gandhi citing his grievances, but what was the need to share that letter with the press? This clearly shows that he does not want to stay in the party,” he said.

Defending Rahul Gandhi, Das dismissed Moquim’s criticism of the party leadership. “What does he know about Rahul Gandhi? Rahul Gandhi walked across the country and brought about an awakening in the minds of the people. Was that not hard work? Will he guide the likes of Rahul Gandhi by writing a letter?” Das asked, alleging that Moquim’s actions were influenced by the other parties.

Moquim has been expelled from Congress following a controversy over his letter last week. After the expulsion, Moquim claimed he had merely ‘shown the mirror’ to the party and asserted that he had the right to point out mistakes, even if committed by Rahul Gandhi.

Also Read: Odisha Congress Slams Mohammed Moquim's Letter, Calls It Ill-Timed

The episode has once again brought to the fore the growing factionalism within the Odisha Congress, with the leadership sending out a strong message against airing internal dissent in public.