The Congress has formed a three - member team of observers to assess the political situation in Odisha, the party said on Saturday.
The team, constituted by Congress President Sonia Gandhi, would visit the state and work jointly with the All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary In - charge of Odisha B. K. Hariprasad.
The team, comprising Tamrdhwaj Sahu, Sushmita Dev and Jitendra Singh, would submit a joint report to the Congress President at the end of their visit, a statement from the party said.
The move comes months after the Bharatiya Janata Party emerged as the second largest party in the panchayat elections in Odisha behind Naveen Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal, pushing Congress to the third position.
Sonia Gandhi also appointed Congress leader Ruchi Gupta as Joint Secretary of the AICC who will report to party Secretary Girish Chodankar, the party said.