Nayagarh: (Report- Ramakrushna Rath):  The Indian National Congress, one of the world's oldest political parties, celebrated its 140th Foundation Day with great enthusiasm. 
Nayagarh Celebrates 140th Congress Foundation Day


Flag Hoisting and Tributes

The celebrations began at 9:00 AM at the Chhayapatha playground. Shri Ranjit Dash, the District Congress President and a senior lawyer, hoisted the party flag featuring the traditional spinning wheel (Arata) symbol. Many party workers and members of the Seva Dal attended the event.
Later in the afternoon, party members gathered at Gandhi Chhak in Gania. They paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi by performing a traditional ritual bath (Kshira Snana) of his statue and offering floral garlands.

Reflecting on History and Sacrifice

A special meeting was held under the chairmanship of Sukanta Satapathy, the District Coordinator of the Rajiv Gandhi Panchayati Raj Sangathan. During the meeting, Shri Dash highlighted the party's journey:
  • Foundation: The Congress party was founded on December 28, 1885, at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College in Mumbai.
  • Freedom Struggle: Between 1920 and 1947, under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, the party used non-violence to end British rule.
  • Legacy: He credited the sacrifices of Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru for India’s status as a powerful nation today.
Shri Dash urged all party members to follow the ideals and principles of Mahatma Gandhi to strengthen the party further.

Key Participants

Several prominent leaders took part in the discussions, including:
  • Baijayantimala Mohanty (Khandapada Congress MLA Candidate)
  • Senior leaders Ladukeswar Sarangi, Narayan Sahu, and Nirmal Chandra Rath
  • Pratik Mohapatra (State Youth Congress Secretary)
  • Shibaranjan Sahu (District Student Congress President)
  • Halim Khan and Pradip Mohapatra
The members of the Gania Block Congress Committee were also present to mark this historic day.