Bhakta Charan Das

• Dibakar Das (father)
• Bilasha Das (mother)

Bhakta Charan Das
President Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee
Incumbent
Assumed office 11 February 2025
Education	B.A., LL.B.
Alma mater	Sambalpur University
Profession	Politician, Advocate, Journalist

Bhakta Charan Das (born 26 November 1958) is an Indian politician from the state of Odisha. He served as a Member of Parliament in the 15th Lok Sabha, representing the Kalahandi constituency. ^{[1] [2]} He is currently the President of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee the provincial outfit of the Indian National Congress party. He is active in electoral politics and had constest for the Odisha Legislative Assembly in 2024 from Narla Assembly Constituency. ^{[3] [4]} Though having been placed at second position Bhakta managed an overall 12% increase in the voteshare of the Congress in Narla.

Apart from electoral politics Das is a noted and influential social activist who has been fighting for the rights of both Scheduled Caste & Scheduled Tribe peoples' of Odisha through numerous social movements and people engaging activities. ^{[5] [6]}

As President of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee he has been vocal in raising many issues which have plaguing the people of Odisha. Currently in his tenure as President the state unit of the Congress Party has conducted numerous outreach programs (padayatras), rallies, protests, state-wide strikes and protests in the Odisha Legislative Assembly to highlight the woes of the people of Odisha. ^{[7] [8] [9]}

Political career

Parliament and Ministry

Das contested the 1989 Lok Sabha election from the Kalahandi Lok Sabha Constituency as a candidate of the Janata Party. ^[10] He was later appointed Deputy Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs in the Union Government under Prime Minister V.P. Singh having also been appointed as a Minister of State in the Ministry of Railways of India. ^{[11] [12]}

Personal Life

Bhakta is married to Sunanda Das and together they have two sons Kranti being the elder and Sagar Charan Das being the younger who is also currently a lawmaker representing the Bhawanipatna Assembly Constituency in the Legislative Assembly of Odisha.

See also

• Kalahandi (Lok Sabha constituency)
• Indian general election in Orissa, 2009
• Indian National Congress
• Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee

References

1. "Profile of Members". Government of India. Archived from the original on 1 January 2012. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
2. "Congress appoints Bhakta Charan Das as campaign head for Odisha". The Hindu. 22 March 2024. Archived from the original on 11 February 2025. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
3. "Bhakta Charan Das appointed Odisha Congress president". Times of India. 11 February 2025. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
4. "Bhakta Charan Das(Indian National Congress(INC)):Constituency- NARLA(KALAHANDI) - Affidavit Information of Candidate:". myneta.info. Retrieved 15 October 2025.
5. State of Orissa's Environment: A Citizen's Report. (1994). India: Council of Professional Social Workers. Page- 167,168
6. Schwartzberg, Joseph E. (May 1991). "Census of India: Census Atlas, National Volume, 1981. Produced under the direction of B. K. Roy. Delhi: Controller of Publications. Government of India for the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India, 1989. vii, 212 pp. Rs.360.00, £41.98, $129.60" . The Journal of Asian Studies. 50 (2): 121. doi:10.2307/2057270. ISSN   0021-9118.
7. India, Clarion (17 December 2025). "Odisha: Congress Protest Over National Herald Case Leads to Scuffle with Police". Clarion India. Retrieved 20 December 2025.
8. ""Receiving huge support for Odisha bandh," says Congress's Bhakta Charan Das". ANI News. Retrieved 20 December 2025.
9. "PM Shah should tender public apology or resign Odisha Cong after relief in National Herald case". The Week. Retrieved 20 December 2025.
10. Nayak, Subadh (12 February 2025). "My aim is not to become the CM but to strengthen the party and win people's hearts: Bhakta Charan Das". KalingaTV. Retrieved 13 February 2025.
11. Pradhan, Surya Narayan (11 February 2025). "Congress President appoints Bhakta Charan Das as OPCC Chief". Sambad English. Retrieved 13 February 2025.
12. Saxena, Rajendra Narain (1991). Four Decades of Indian Railways, 1950-1990. Academic Foundation. pp. 18–19.