Congress’ 2nd List To Be Out By April 15, Odisha Chief Warns Rivals Of Tough Fight

Bhubaneswar: The Congress will release its second list of candidates for Lok Sabha & Assembly seats in Odisha by April 15, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Sarat Pattanayak said on Friday.

Speaking to reporters, Pattanayak said that the probable candidates will be screened on Saturday and the Central Election Committee (CEC) is likely to clear the names at its meeting on Sunday. “We have candidates who can give a tough fight to both BJD and BJP, who are rather up for a friendly contest,” he asserted while speaking about Congress’ 9 to 90 mission in Assembly polls.

Claiming that Congress will form the next government in 2024, he said that there is a palpable wave of change in Odisha, which has remained backward despite the 24-year rule of the BJD, which formed an alliance with the BJP in 1998 and maintained the partnership until 2009. “People have made up their minds and Naveen Patnaik government will fall like nine pins. It will be similar to the ouster of West Bengal’s Communist government after 34 years in power,” he added.

The Congress has so far declared candidates for only 8 Lok Sabha and 47 Assembly seats.

The grand old party had hoped to revive its fate in Odisha after Ajoy Kumar took over as Odisha in-charge and reinstated three previously suspended and expelled Congress leaders –  Barabati-Cuttack Mohammed Moquim, Biswal and former Kopraput MLA Krushna Chandra Sagaria. The party also opened doors for some old guards – former Union Minister Srikant Jena, former Chief Minister Giridhar Gamang, along with his wife and son, Former former Bargarh MP Sanjay Bhoi and former Koraput MP Jayaram Pangi.

However, it has been witnessing an exodus of prominent leaders– Surendra Singh Bhoi, Chiranjib Biswal, Ganeswar Behera, Nihar Ranjan Mohananda, K Surya Rao and Bapi Sarkhel – since the failure of pre-poll talks alliance talks between BJP and BJD.

After announcing the first list, the party purportedly decided to go slow on ticket distribution to prevent more desertions and rebellions by aspirants.