Bhubaneswar, April 25 -- Infighting and dissidence have become so acute in Congress in Koraput that it has reportedly left the grand old party in tatters. Disgruntled leaders have turned open rebels and do not see eye to eye with the MP and MLA candidates in the district.

Opposing their own nominees and challenging the decision of the top leaders, some leaders have even filed nominations as independents for the Lok Sabha seat and Assembly seats such as Gunupur, Bissam Cuttack and Jeypore.Sitting MP Saptagiri Ulaka was repeated this time in Koraput, but youth leader Abinash Gamang, son of the president of the Koraput Zilla Congress Committee, has filed a nomination as an independent.

Abinash said, "I belong to the Congress family. I have...