This has also signalled the end of inner party democracy in the party. The hold of the high command in the party had slackened during the tenure of P V Narasimha Rao as the All India Congress Committee (AICC) president and prime minister.

This was evident after the 1995 Assembly polls when Gamang, who was the chairman of the party's Campaign Committee, missed the top post by the skin of his teeth. The post of Chief Minister went to J B Patnaik, who was then the president of the Orissa Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC). Significantly, Patnaik had not contested the 1995 Assembly polls.

The selection of Patnaik as Chief Minister then, was attributed to the majority support he had in the Congress Legislature Party (CLP). Things are no different in 1999. Patnaik still has the majority support in the CLP, but has to give in to SoniaGandhi's choice. Sensing that the high command was not in favour of appointing his choice as the new Chief Minister, Patnaik had to extend support to Gamang at the last minute.

Gamang's climb in the ladder of power has also signalled the beginning of the end of the J B Patnaik era in Congress politics of the State. No doubt, J B Patnaik will continue to play an important role in State politics because of his stature and support in the party organisation. But the unceremonious way in which he had to resign and the manner in which the high command ignored his followers in the selection of his successor, have indicated that Patnaik has fallen from the grace of the high command.

Patnaik is being systematically side-lined ever since Sonia Gandhi took over as the president of the Congress. Patnaik had to resign from the Congress Working Committee and the post of president of the PCC soon after she became the party chief. Dissidence orchestrated by Deputy Chief Minister Basant Kumar Biswal and his followerssurfaced after Sonia came to the helm of party affairs.

Patnaik's exit from the centrestage of Congress politics in Orissa will no doubt create a leadership crisis in the party. This was evident during the last four days when the party searched for a viable alternative to replace him. It remains to be seen whether his successor Gamang can fill the vacuum.

For the time being, Gamang will have to do a balancing act to keep every faction in the party in good humour. Gamang can ill afford to antagonise any faction because of the approaching Assembly polls which will be an acid test for leadership qualities. This will be all the more difficult as PCC president Hemanand Biswal and former chief minister Basant Kumar Biswal are constantly breathing down his neck to extract their pounds of flesh in ministry making.

Gamang remained in the periphery of State politics during the last 28 years of his Parliamentary career. But in this assignment, he will have to lead from the front. And his supporters claim thatgiven the opportunity, Gamang has the guts to do so.