Former Odisha Congress chief has faith that party will form govt at Centre in 2024

Former president of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Sarat Patnaik on Sunday said that Congress cannot survive in India without the Gandhi family, adding that the party will form government at the Centre after the 2024 general elections.

"Congress has seen a lot of ups and downs in India... It doesn't really matter if we have lost. We are still heading the second position and fight is still underway," Patnaik told ANI.

He further said, "There is a vote bank of the Gandhi family in India. I believe it as I have been a part of this party since Youth Congress. We lost in 1977. Then in 1980, Indira Gandhi came into power and again in 1990, we lost. These winning and losing are temporary things."

Meanwhile, a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) is underway to discuss the party's crushing defeat in Assembly elections in five states.

"In Odisha, there is a vote bank here which is in name of the Gandhi family. We will always support the Gandhi family and we all have faith that in the 2024 general elections, Congress will again be back in Centre," he added.

Earlier this week, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that Congress has lost its credibility and the Opposition parties cannot bank on Congress to fight Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2024 general elections.

( With inputs from ANI )