Utkal Congress was a

political party A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular country's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific political ideology ...

in the

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

n state of

Odisha Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of ...

. It was formed in 1969 when

Biju Patnaik Bijayananda Patnaik (5 March 1916 – 17 April 1997) was an Indian politician, aviator and businessman. As politician, he served twice as the Chief Minister of the State of Odisha. Early life His parents lived in Bellaguntha, Ganjam dist ...

left

Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party but often simply the Congress, is a political party in India with widespread roots. Founded in 1885, it was the first modern nationalist movement to emerge in the British Em ...

. After the 1971 Odisha elections UC took part in the Bishwanath Das ministry in the state. In 1974 Utkal Congress merged into

Bharatiya Lok Dal Bharatiya Lok Dal ( English: Indian Peoples' Party) was a political party in India. The BLD or simply BL was formed at the end of 1974 through the fusion of seven parties opposed to the rule of Indira Gandhi, including the Swatantra Party, ...

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 Harekrushna Mahatab (21 November 1899 – 2 January 1987) 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 wa ...

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 Harekrushna Mahatab (21 November 1899 – 2 January 1987) 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 wa ...

, 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.

Electoral history

Biju Patnaik resigned from Congress(R) on 6 April 1970. Following that he along with his colleagues

Nilamani Routray Nilamani Routray( or, ନୀଳମଣି ରାଉତରାୟ)(24 May 1920 – 4 October 2004) was an Indian politician and the Chief Minister of Odisha from 1977 to 1980. He served as the Health and Family Welfare Minister and then Forest an ...

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. 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 Nandini Satpathy (9 June 1931 – 4 August 2006) was an Indian politician and author. She was the Chief Minister of Odisha from June 1972 to December 1976. Early life Nandini Satpathy nee Panigrahi was born on 9 June 1931 to Kalindi Chara ...

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.

Background

Electoral history

References

See also