Utkal Congress

Last updated

Utkal Congress
Founded1969
Dissolved1974
Merged into Pragati Legislature Party
Bharatiya Lok Dal (eventually)
ECI StatusDissolved

Utkal Congress was a political party in the Indian state of Odisha. It was formed in 1969 when Biju Patnaik left Indian National Congress. After the 1971 Odisha elections UC took part in the Bishwanath Das ministry in the state. In 1974 Utkal Congress merged into Pragati Legislature Party which eventually merged into Bharatiya Lok Dal.

Contents

Background

Odisha was a stronghold of Congress in immediate post independence era. However factionalism was rife. A group of Congress dissidents led by Harekrushna Mahatab split in 1967 to form Jana Congress. In 1967 general election Most of the leadership of Congress lost. In 1969 Congress split at national level forming Congress(O) and Congress(R). Biju Patnaik remained with Congress(R) which was led by Smt Indira Gandhi. However, in 1970 Rajya sabha elections the state unit proposed a different candidate to that of the central leadership. However, in the election both candidates lost. This caused Biju Patnaik led group to sever all the ties from the central leadership. Initially named as Utkal Pradesh Congress, the group ultimately chose Utkal Congress as their name with Biju Patnaik, Rabi Ray along with securing support from two former Chief Ministers of Odisha - Harekrushna Mahtab, R.N.Singh Deo (Swatantra Party) & the Samyukta Socialist Party whose state unit merged into the Utkal Congress in 1972 following the SSP's dissolution. [1] [2]

Electoral history

Biju Patnaik resigned from Congress(R) on 6 April 1970. Following that he along with his colleagues Nilamani Routray formed the state based party in the model of DMK. This fledgling party Fought its first election soon after in 1971 General elections. It secured 24% votes and 32 seats. [3] It formed a coalition with Swatantra Party and formed a government under leadership Bishwanath Das. This government did not last for long and few of the Utkal Congress members wanted to go back to Congress(I) (Congress(R) had named itself Congress (I) at this point). So a Congress(I) government under the leadership of Nandini Satpathy formed. However this government did not last long either. There was an election in 1974 to Odisha legislature. Utkal Congress formed a coalition with Swatatantra party and a group of Congress (I) members led by Harekrushna Mahtab called Pragati Legislature party. In the election Utkal Congress slightly increased it tally to 35 seats. However Congress won the majority. At the end of 1974 all the constituents of Pragati Legislature party merged with Charan Singh led Bharatiya Lok Dal. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biju Janata Dal</span> Political party in India

The Biju Janata Dal is an Indian regional political party with great influence in the state of Odisha. It was founded by the former minister of mines and minerals of the Republic of India Naveen Patnaik on 26 December 1997 as a breakaway faction from the Janata Dal. The BJD is led by its founder as president of the party. The headquarters of the party is located in Forest Park, Bhubaneswar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samyukta Socialist Party</span> Defunct political party in India

Samyukta Socialist Party, was a political party in India from 1964 to 1972. SSP was formed through a split in the Praja Socialist Party (PSP) in 1964. In 1965, Ram Manohar Lohia merged his Socialist Party (Lohia) with SSP and contested in 1967 Indian general election. In 1972, SSP was reunited with PSP, forming the Socialist Party. But in December 1972, SSP was recreated after the split in Socialist Party. One faction of SSP led by Madhu Limaye and George Fernandes wanted to merge with PSP but another faction led by Raj Narain resisted the merger with PSP.

The Pragati Legislature Party(Also called Pragati Dal) was a political grouping in the Legislative Assembly of the Indian state Orissa. PLP was formed in 1973 by the Utkal Congress, Swatantra Party and others. The PLP leader Biju Patnaik, was elected as the Leader of the Opposition of the Assembly on February 9, 1973. His tenure as Leader of Opposition lasted until March 3 the same year. On that date President's Rule was introduced in the state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nabakrushna Choudhuri</span>

Nabakrushna Choudhuri was an Indian politician and activist. He served as Chief Minister of the Indian state of Odisha. He was a freedom fighter who participated in the Non-cooperation Movement, the Civil Disobedience movement, and the Peasant movement.

The politics of Odisha are part of India's federal parliamentary representative democracy, where the union government exercises sovereign rights. Certain powers are reserved to the states, including Odisha. The state has a multi-party system, in which the two main parties are the nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the regional, socialist Biju Janata Dal (BJD). The Indian National Congress (INC) has also significant presence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harekrushna Mahatab</span> Politician from Odisha, India

Harekrushna Mahatab was the leader of the Indian National Congress, a notable figure in the Indian independence movement and the Chief Minister of Odisha from 1946 to 1950 and again from 1956 to 1961. He was popularly known by the sobriquet "Utkal Keshari".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bishwanath Das</span> Indian politician, lawyer, and philanthropist

Bishwanath Das named after birth as Biswanath Dash was a politician, lawyer and philanthropist from India. He was the prime minister of Odisha Province of British India 1937–39, the governor of Uttar Pradesh 1962–67 and later the chief minister of Odisha 1971–72.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 Odisha Legislative Assembly election</span> 2009 assembly elections in Odisha

The 2009 Odisha Legislative Assembly election took place in April 2009, concurrently with the general election. The elections were held in the state in two phases. The results were declared on 16 May. Despite having recently separated from the Bharatiya Janata Party after an eleven-year partnership, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) retained power in the Odisha State Assembly with a more convincing majority. Party chief Naveen Patnaik was formally re-elected as the BJD Legislature party leader on 19 May, thus paving the way for his third consecutive term as the Chief Minister of Odisha.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee</span> Indian political party

The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee is the unit of the Indian National Congress for the state of Odisha. It is responsible for organizing and coordinating the party's activities and campaigns within the state, as well as selecting candidates for local, state, and national elections in Odisha.

Bijepur is a Vidhan Sabha constituency of Odisha. This constituency includes Bijepur block, Gaisilat block and Barpali block.

Soro is a Vidhan Sabha constituency of Balasore district, Odisha.

Jajpur is a Vidhan Sabha constituency of Jajpur district, Odisha.

Bissam Cuttack is a Vidhan Sabha constituency of Rayagada district, Odisha.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bijoy Mohapatra</span> Indian politician

Bijoy Mohapatra is a politician from Odisha. A leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party, he was Irrigation Minister of Odisha from 1990 to 1995 in the Biju Patnaik cabinet. He was the most powerful minister in Biju Patnaik's cabinet. He was four times MLA from Patkura Constituency of Kendrapara district. He won four straight elections in 1980, 1985, 1990 and 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prasanna Pattnaik</span> Indian politician

Prasanna Pattnaik is an Indian politician and the first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA of Odisha. He has been elected three times to the Odisha Legislative Assembly from Kamakhyanagar constituency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashok Kumar Das</span> Indian politician

Ashok Kumar Das was an Indian politician. He joined the Jay Prakash Movement in 1974 and was political Prisoner under MISA. He was member of Swatantra Party, Utkal Congress, Janata Party (Secular), Janata Party (Secular), Janata Dal, Biju Janata Dal then Janata Dal (Secular).

The 1971 Indian general election in Odisha were held for 20 seats with the state going to the polls in the first two phases of the general elections.

Elections to the fifith Odisha Legislative Assembly were held in 1971.

References

  1. Grover, V. (1997). Indian Political System: Trends and Challenges. Deep & Deep Publications. p. 448. ISBN   978-81-7100-883-4 . Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  2. Pioneer, The. "Bijubabu's life a saga of adventures, sacrifices". The Pioneer. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  3. Grover, V. (1997). Indian Political System: Trends and Challenges. Deep & Deep Publications. p. 453. ISBN   978-81-7100-883-4 . Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  4. Das & Dr. C. P Nanda, P.M.N. (2001). Harekrushna Mahtab. Publications Division Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. p. 121. ISBN   978-81-230-2325-0 . Retrieved 1 July 2019.

See also