Overview
- The Odisha Janata Congress, launched Wednesday at Bhubaneswar's Exhibition Ground, drew large crowds for its debut though no major state leaders joined the event.
- Founder Mohammed Moquim, a former Congress MLA, cast the party as a Gen Z platform that aims to replace the BJD as the main opposition and present an alternative to the BJP.
- Congress MLA Sofia Firdous attended after a suspension over alleged cross-voting for a BJP-backed Rajya Sabha candidate, yet anti-defection rules under India's Tenth Schedule mean she cannot formally join without risking disqualification.
- With no near-term elections, Moquim said the party will build a grassroots network and then contest local body polls, with rural contests expected in 2027 and urban races in 2028.
- He rejected talk of tacit BJP backing and criticized both the BJP and BJD for similar styles of governance that he says sideline local businesses.