Prasad-Lulu bonhomie sets off talk of new equation in Odisha Congress

Reported by Swetaparna Mohanty
Bhubaneswar, Jan 2:

The new found love of the newly appointed Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) chief Prasad Harichandan for senior party leader Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra has set tongues wagging about a new equation in the state unit of the party.

Long considered a rival of Lalatendu, better known as ‘Lulu’ in political cicrcles, in Puri politics, Harichandan raised many eyebrows when he described the former Brahmagiri MLA as the “fulcrum” of the Congress party in the state today.

“Lulu Babu is not just another leader of the Congress party. It won’t be wrong to call him meri khunta (fulcrum) of the Congress party. The fact that he has come straight to the party office from Kalinga Hospital without going to his home first speaks of his love for the party and its organisation. We will work together for the resurgence of the party, , said the new OPCC chief.

It was a scene charged with emotion as Lulu Mohapatra dropped in at the Congress Bhawan straight from the Kalinga Hospital on his way to home today.

The OPCC chief came out of his office to give a warm hug to Mohapatra in his car and wished his early recovery. Mohapatra could not come out of his car to go to meet Harichandan in his office due to his ailment.

Mohapatra, who was undergoing treatment at the Kalinga Hospital, had failed to attend the function held at the party headquarters on December 28 to mark the formal assumption of charge by Harichandan as party’s state chief. But he did send a message from the hospital which was read out at the function.