Even before counting of votes for the Bijepur assembly by-election, the Congress leaders here not only conceded defeat but have started hurling accusations of betrayal and internal sabotage. The knives are out in the Congress party already.

The counting is to take place on Wednesday. The statements made by several senior Congress leaders on Tuesday exposed the virtual collapse of the party largely due to AICC president Rahul Gandhi who, despite series of meetings, deputing observers etc has been sleeping over matters pertaining to revamp of the OPCC, noted disillusioned youngsters in the party.

Rahul Gandhi seems determined to see that the party in Odisha goes the UP, Bihar way, remarked a youth Congress leader while speaking on conditions of anonymity. All the MLAs voiced their demand for a revamp over one year ago, Rahul Gandhi met over 40 leaders for Odisha in this regard and then deputed a three member team of observers comprising of Jitendra Singh, P Sahu and Gourav Gogoi.

All this was over eight months ago and yet the AICC president preferred to sleep over the matter. The candidate for Bijepur by-poll was announced barely 20 days before polling, added the youth and student wing activists.

But what triggered it all on Tuesday was veteran Congress leader Suresh Routray’s public statement alleging three leaders of the party who had campaigned at Bijepur played a double game as they caused internal sabotage to ensure defeat of the Congress candidate.

These betrayers were working with a game plan as they sense that a defeat would result in removal of the OPCC president Prasad Harichandan, said Routray. Former OPCC chief Niranjan Patnaik refused to be drawn in to the controversial remark of Routray but conceded that the Congress fought a losing battle at Bijepur due to several factors.

Another former minister Srikanta Jena too seemed to concede defeat of the party candidate and said the delay in naming the candidate left very little time to organise an effective campaign.

Jena added that the Congress was starved of funds in a bypoll where both the BJD and BJP were pumping in crores. Ironically Bijepur assembly seat was held by the Congress over the last three elections.