Archive · 2 Sep 2026
Odisha Congress chief urges suspended MLA Sofia Firdous to resign
A Congress leader in Odisha told Sofia Firdous to leave the party if she no longer agrees with its ideas.
Sofia is currently suspended from Congress.
Her father, Mohammed Moquim, said she will run in the 2029 election for a different party called Odisha Janata Congress.
He said Congress has moved away from its main beliefs.
Congress leader Bhakta Charan Das disagreed with him.
Das also criticized Sofia’s father over her vote in a Rajya Sabha election.
Sofia has not said whether she agrees with her father’s plan.
She was first elected from Barabati-Cuttack as a Congress candidate.
OPCC president Bhakta Charan Das asked suspended MLA Sofia Firdous to resign if she no longer supports Congress ideology.
Sofia’s father, former MLA Mohammed Moquim, said she would contest the 2029 Assembly election on an Odisha Janata Congress ticket.
Moquim said Congress no longer follows clear principles or ideology and has no future in Odisha or India.
Das accused Moquim of directing Sofia’s political decisions after she voted for a BJP-supported candidate in the Rajya Sabha election.
Sofia was elected from Barabati-Cuttack on a Congress ticket and has not commented publicly on her father’s announcement.
- Who
- OPCC president Bhakta Charan Das, suspended MLA Sofia Firdous, and former MLA Mohammed Moquim.
- What
- Das urged Sofia Firdous to resign if she differs from Congress ideology, while Moquim announced that she would contest the 2029 election on an Odisha Janata Congress ticket.
- When
- Das made his remarks on Monday, following Moquim’s announcement on Sunday; the referenced Rajya Sabha election was held on March 16.
- Where
- Odisha, particularly the Barabati-Cuttack Assembly constituency.
- Why
- The dispute followed Moquim’s criticism that Congress has abandoned clear principles and ideology, as well as Sofia’s suspension over alleged indiscipline and voting for a BJP-supported Rajya Sabha candidate.
Congress leadership
Mohammed Moquim and Odisha Janata Congress
Congress ideology
Congress leadership
Bhakta Charan Das said Sofia should resign if she lacks confidence in Congress ideology.
Mohammed Moquim and Odisha Janata Congress
Mohammed Moquim said Congress no longer follows clear principles or ideology and has moved away from its core beliefs.
Sofia’s political future
Congress leadership
Das questioned why Sofia would wait until 2029 to leave if she no longer supports Congress.
Mohammed Moquim and Odisha Janata Congress
Moquim announced that Sofia would contest the 2029 Assembly election on an Odisha Janata Congress ticket and lead Gen-Z in Odisha.
Rajya Sabha vote
Congress leadership
Das criticized Sofia’s father, saying he was directing her political decisions after she voted for a BJP-supported candidate.
Mohammed Moquim and Odisha Janata Congress
Moquim’s broader criticism focused on Congress’s leadership and working style, including public objections to its national leaders.
- Congress official
- Bhakta Charan Das is the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president.
- Sofia Firdous
- She is the elected MLA from the Barabati-Cuttack Assembly segment and was suspended from Congress.
- 2029 plan
- Mohammed Moquim said Sofia would contest the upcoming 2029 Assembly election on an Odisha Janata Congress ticket.
- Sofia’s vote
- She was among three Congress MLAs suspended after voting for BJP-supported candidate Dilip Ray in the March 16 Rajya Sabha election.
- Moquim’s criticism
- Moquim alleged that Congress has drifted from its core ideology and has no future in Odisha or the country.
- Public response
- Sofia Firdous did not comment on her father’s announcement, according to the report.