Bhubaneswar: Former Barabati–Cuttack MLA Mohammed Moquim has written to Rajya Sabha MP and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, implicitly questioning the leadership of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) chief Bhakta Charan Das and calling for a complete overhaul of the party’s state leadership. In his detailed letter, Moquim stressed that only a renewed and revitalised leadership can pave the way for the revival of Congress in Odisha.
The senior Congress leader underscored his decades-long association with the party, tracing his family’s political legacy back to the freedom movement. He noted that his grandfather’s father was a freedom fighter who endured the hardships of India’s independence struggle. His elder brother, who passed away at 42, had also dedicated his life to the party.
Drawing from this lineage, Moquim said he has remained steadfast in his commitment to the Congress. He highlighted his roles as district president, OPCC treasurer, and MLA from Barabati–Cuttack, adding that it was under his leadership that the constituency returned to the Congress fold in 2019 after a gap of 35 years.
Moquim also pointed to the electoral success of his daughter, Sofia Firdous, who became the MLA from Barabati–Cuttack in 2024. Despite intensive campaigning by both the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister during that election, the Congress retained the seat. According to Moquim, this reflected the people’s exceptional trust in their work and long-standing grassroots engagement.
Through his letter, Moquim has sought Sonia Gandhi’s intervention to initiate structural reform within the state unit, arguing that a rejuvenated leadership is essential to strengthen the Congress in Odisha.
