Rahul Gandhi meets Odisha party leaders, revamp on cards

New Delhi: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Monday held a meeting here with party leaders from Odisha as the organisational revamp in the state unit is imminent following the party's poor performance in zila parishad polls.

The state unit is likely to witness a leadership change after the meeting, at which strategy to revive the party in the state was also discussed.

Refusing to talk about the changes that are going to take place in state unit, a senior leader said only organisational issues were discussed in the meeting. 

"The meeting was about how to go forward from here after the local body poll debacle with the weakness and strength of the party," said the senior Congress party leader.

Asked about the leadership changes in the state unit, he said: "Those things are not discussed but it is announced. It is the prerogative of the Congress President (Sonia Gandhi) and the Vice-President (Rahul Gandhi)."

Moreover, keeping in mind the 2019 elections, the party is also looking at a course correction.

After the Zila Parishad elections, the party was pushed to the third position in the state behind the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Apart from all the 16 Congress MLAS, Rajya Sabha MP Ranjib Biswal, state unit chief Prasad Harichandan, senior state leaders Niranjan Patnaik and Bhakta Charan Das were also present in the meeting with Rahul Gandhi.

Following the party's rout in the Zila Parishad elections, many party party workers left the party giving rise to infighting.