As Congress MP Pradeep Majhi put it, Rahul's visit to

Odisha at this juncture is significant as the young leader has been taking keen interest in strengthening the party at the grassroots level. The Congress, which has lost three consecutive Assembly elections in Odisha since 2000, now pins hope on Rahul and believes he can bolster the party's poll prospects, said a leader. "The focus is to strengthen the party organisation at grassroots level so that Congress can take on the ruling BJD effectively," he said. Rahul met district and block level office-bearers of the party and its women, youth and student wings from western and southern regions of Odisha in different batches. He also interacted with panchayat and block representatives owing allegiance to Congress, which appears to be placing considerable emphasis on improving its show. Rahul's programme in Sambalpur is also significant as it is likely to boost the morale of party workers in its traditional stronghold further. Five of the six sitting Lok Sabha MPs of Congress are from these 17 organisational districts with whose leaders he interacted during the first leg of his Odisha visit. Barring Balasore, remaining five sitting Congress Lok Sabha MPs are from western and southern parts of the state. In Cuttack, he would interact with panchayat, block and district-level office-bearers of the Congress from several other districts at a personal level tomorrow at Cuttack, a senior party leader said. Rahul is also scheduled to attend a meeting with members of the extended working committee the same day at Cuttack, he said.