Manas Choudhury | |
|---|---|
 Choudhury in 2025 | |
| National Secretary, INTUC | |
| Assumed office December 2024 | |
| President, Cuttack District Congress Committee | |
| In office 2020 – June 2024 | |
| President, Bhubaneswar District Congress Committee | |
| In office July 2018 – 2020 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 19 Cuttack, Odisha, India |
| Political party | Indian National Congress |
| Occupation | Politician · Trade-unionist · Entrepreneur |
Manas Choudhury (born 19 August) is an Indian politician from Odisha affiliated with the Indian National Congress (INC). He is a member of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) and has served in various organisational roles within the party. He served as President of the Cuttack District Congress Committee from 2020 to June 2024, and was appointed National Secretary of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) in December 2024.
Political career[edit | edit source]
Choudhury began his involvement with the INC in 1998, initially serving as General Secretary of the District Youth Congress in Bhubaneswar, and later as its Vice-President from 2000 to 2003. In 2004, he contested the Odisha Legislative Assembly election from the Cuttack-Sadar constituency as a Congress candidate.[1][2]
He served as a member of CAPART (Eastern Zone) under the Ministry of Rural Development from 2004 to 2007, and as a trustee of the Paradip Port Trust from 2010 to 2012. He also served as a director of the Urban Cooperative Bank in Bhubaneswar from 2002 to 2008.
Within the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC), Choudhury served as President of the Bhubaneswar District Congress Committee before being appointed President of the Cuttack District Congress Committee in October 2020.[3]
Activism as Cuttack DCC President[edit | edit source]
As Cuttack DCC president, Choudhury led several public agitations that drew media attention. In September 2022, he led a protest against the Cuttack Municipal Corporation by presenting a bathroom door to the CMC Commissioner for the Mayor's office, mocking the Mayor's claims of financial difficulties while alleging large-scale spending on official renovations.[4][5] In December 2022, he met AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge to discuss the Congress party's organisational situation in Odisha.[6]
In July 2023, he led a protest at the office of the Superintendent Engineer of Prachi Division, alleging that an official was demanding bribes in exchange for completing a road in Cuttack Sadar.[7] That same month, he publicly accused the Cuttack District Collector of misusing administrative powers to register government land in his own name.[8]
In April 2024, he was named a member of the Odisha PCC Election Management Committee for the 2024 general elections.[9]
Expulsion and reinstatement[edit | edit source]
In June 2024, Congress expelled Choudhury as Cuttack district president for what the party described as "indiscipline and anti-party activities", alleging he had conspired against party candidates during the elections.[10] Following his expulsion, Choudhury held a press conference at Congress Bhawan, accusing OPCC chief Sarat Pattanayak and Odisha in-charge Ajoy Kumar of collecting money for distributing party tickets, and blaming the state leadership for the party's poor performance in the elections.[11] The expulsion triggered protests by the Student and Youth Congress in Cuttack.[12] Choudhury contested the action, maintaining that as an AICC member the state unit lacked jurisdiction over him.[13] His party membership was fully restored in December 2024 following organisational changes within the OPCC.[14]
In December 2024, he was appointed National Secretary of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC).[15]
In March 2025, Choudhury was arrested in connection with a Congress party protest.[16] In July 2025, an FIR was filed against him and 25 others following a separate protest incident in which a police inspector was garlanded.[17]
Business activities[edit | edit source]
Choudhury is the managing director of K1 Security Services Pvt Ltd, a private security company based in Odisha.[18][19]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "Odisha 2004: Cuttack Sadar Assembly Constituency Details". IndiaVotes. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
- ↑ "Cuttack Sadar (Odisha) Assembly Constituency – Election Results and Candidates". Result University. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
- ↑ "Congress appoints DCC presidents in Odisha". The New Indian Express. 19 October 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
- ↑ "Unique Protest: Cuttack District Congress Committee gifts bathroom door to CMC Mayor". Odisha TV. 14 September 2022. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ↑ "Peeved Congress leader donates door to CMC Mayor in Odisha. Here's why". Sambad English. 14 September 2022. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ↑ "Manas Choudhury meets AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge". Voice of Odisha. 16 December 2022. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ↑ "Congress leader offers clothes as commission for completion of road work in Cuttack". Odisha TV. 4 July 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ↑ "Cuttack Collector accused of 'misusing power to register land in own name'". Odisha TV. 15 July 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ↑ "Prasad Harichandan Appointed Odisha Congress Election Management Committee Chairman". OmmcomNews. 17 April 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2026.
- ↑ "Cong expels Manas for 'anti-party' activities". The Times of India. 8 June 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
- ↑ "Expelled Congressman accuses top leaders of selling party tickets for money". The New Indian Express. 8 June 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
- ↑ "Student and Youth Congress protest over expulsion of Manas Chowdhury from party". ETV Bharat. 8 June 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
- ↑ "Odisha's expelled Cong leader Manas Choudhury accuses OPCC president of taking money for party tickets". Odisha Bytes. 7 June 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
- ↑ "Cuttack dist president Manas Choudhury expelled from Congress". Zee News. 7 June 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
- ↑ "It's unpardonable crime against Odisha: INTUC". The Pioneer. Bhubaneswar. 13 December 2024.
- ↑ Congress' Manas Choudhury arrested amid party protest (video). Kanak News. 27 March 2025. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
- ↑ "Garlanding of police inspector during protest: 26 booked in Odisha". Odisha TV. 3 July 2025. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
- ↑ "Rush for armed security as poll race hots up". The Times of India. 22 March 2014. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
- ↑ "K1 Security Services Private Limited – Company Details". Zauba Corp. Retrieved 20 March 2026.