Bhubaneswar: Congress on Friday appointed Lalji Desai as the All India Congress Committee (AICC) Odisha in-charge, replacing Ajay Kumar Lallu, in what the party indicated as a bid to revamp its organisation ahead of next year’s panchayat and urban local body polls in the state. According to senior functionaries, Desai, who was serving as national chief organiser of the Congress Seva Dal, is expected to bring his grassroots experience and organisational skills to strengthen the party’s cadre base in the state.Lallu held the post since Feb 14, 2025, but was believed to have fallen out with state Congress state president Bhakta Charan Das over organisational matters. Welcoming Desai, the Odisha Congress unit said in a social media post: “Warm congratulations and a heartfelt welcome to Lalji Desai Ji on being appointed as the AICC in-charge for Odisha. We extend our sincere gratitude to the outgoing in-charge Ajay Lallu Ji for his dedicated service and valuable guidance to the Congress family in Odisha.”
