Bhakta asks Sofia to quit if she differs from Congress ideology

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das on Monday asked suspended MLA Sofia Firdous to resign if she differs from Congress ideology. Das said this a day after Barabati-Cuttack MLA Sofia Firdous’s father and former MLA Mohammed Moquim announced that his daughter will contest the 2029 elections on Odisha Janata Congress (OJC) ticket. The OJC was founded by Moquim after he was expelled from Congress for raising questions on the efficiency of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge for his age. He also expressed public displeasure at the working style of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Talking to reporters, Moquim on Sunday said, “Sofia will contest the upcoming Assembly election on an OJC ticket and lead Gen-Z in the State. She will not contest from the Congress as it no longer follows any clear principles or ideology.” However, Sofia did not make any comment on her father’s statement.

Responding to Moquim’s statement, Das, in an X post, said, “Why wait until 2029? If she (Sofia) lacks confidence in Congress ideology, why not resign now? While in Congress, she used to talk about women’s empowerment. But after voting for a BJP candidate in the Rajya Sabha election, her father dictates her political decisions.” She was one among the three Congress MLAs suspended from the party on charges of indiscipline and casting her vote in favour of BJP-supported candidate Dilip Ray in the March 16 Rajya Sabha elections.

Sofia Firdous was elected for the first time to the Assembly from Barabati-Cuttack Assembly segment on a Congress ticket. Her father was representing the seat earlier.

Meanwhile, Moquim alleged that the Congress party has drifted away from its core ideology and it has ‘no future’ in the State as well as in the country.