The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) is making all efforts to make Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s public meeting in Bhubaneswar on Monday a huge success.

The Congress, which has been out of power in Odisha since 2000, is desperately trying to put up a good show. The meeting assumes significance ahead of Rahul Gandhi’s visit to the state under its Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. He may enter Odisha on February 14.

After Ajoy Kumar took charge of Odisha, attempts have been made to unite all the leaders ahead of the general election. The party has roped in former chief minister Giridhar Gamang, who had quit the Congress and joined the BJP and later switched his loyalties to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).

Manas Choudhury, a Congress leader, said: “Kharge will attend the Odisha Bachao Samavesh meeting on Monday. The meeting will be a huge success. Around 20,000 people are expected to attend. We feel there is no hype relating to the consecration of Ram Lala and the inauguration of the Jagannath Temple heritage corridor. As both the projects failed to generate any hype, people would certainly try to find an alternative. People no more want religious sentiments to be taken for a ride with ulterior political motives.”

Former Congress Committee (PCC) president Prasad Harichandan said: “The BJP and BJD are hand in glove. The BJP was the alliance partner of the BJD for nearly 10 years. They are now in a live-in relationship. Now the BJD is talking of creating a new Odisha (Nabin Odisha). What were they doing during the last 24 years? “

The Congress also alleged that despite the BJD remaining in power for the past 24 years, the poverty rate in the state has not come down and 52 per cent of people are still living below the poverty line. “Corruption has reached its zenith. The common people are being deprived of basic rights. All contracts are being given to the non-odias,” former president Jaydev Jena said.

The Congress also alleged that even though more than 2 lakh government posts were lying vacant, no fresh appointment was taking place. “Nearly 10 lakh youths have registered their names with the government but no steps are being taken to recruit them. Youths are facing desperation. All these issues will be taken up during the Odisha Baccho meeting on Monday,” said Jena.

In a related development, Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan who hails from Odisha said a tectonic political change is going to happen in the upcoming election. “This is my forecast,” Pradhan said, adding that the morale of party workers is high.

However, the BJD said the visits of the central leaders will have no impact.