Cong accepts Niranjan Patnaik's resignation; appoints Sarat Pattanayak as Odisha PCC chief

In a massive development, the Congress high command on Monday accepted the resignation of Niranjan Patnaik from the post of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president. All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary KC Venugopal in a press release informed that Congress president Sonia Gandhi has accepted Patnaik's resignation and also appointed Sarat Pattanayak as the new Odisha PCC chief. The Odisha  Assembly elections are due before June 2024. 

In a series of Tweets, Patnaik expressed his gratitude to the Congress leadership and said, "Serving the Congress party as President of Congress Odisha has been a great honour for me. My heartfelt gratitude to Congress President, Smt. Sonia Gandhi Ji for having trusted me with this huge responsibility. I am also grateful to our dear leader, Rahul Gandhi for all his support to me during my tenure as OPCC President. His humility and relentless fight for the nation’s cause warms my heart and give me hope for India’s future".

He further said, "I must also acknowledge AICC In-charge of Odisha, Chella Kumar’s hard work and dedication to the Congress party. He has been of immense help in spreading Congress’s vision to every nook and corner of Odisha. I also wish to convey my sincere thanks to both Jitendra Alwar and Jagdish Tytler. I am deeply indebted to them for their invaluable insights in running the party’s affairs in Odisha and raising people’s issues". Patnaik also thanked Congress leaders like Rudraraju Gidugu, Shaik Mastan Vali, Anil Chaudhary and Aditya Sharma for their support.

In yet another tweet, Niranjan Patnaik praised Sarat Pattanayak's appointment as Odisha PCC chief and said, "I am confident that under his able leadership, Odisha Congress will touch new heights. My support & guidance to Sarat Pattanayak will always be there. My best wishes to him!".

Sarat Pattanayak appointed as new Odisha PCC chief

Sarat Pattanayak has been appointed as Odisha PCC chief with immediate effect after Nirajan Patnaik tendered his resignation. This will be for the second time that Pattnayak will assume charge as the state Congress chief. Earlier, he had served as PCC chief from 2001 to 2004.

(Image: PTI/ANI)