Odisha Congress Initiates Steps To Select Candidates For Next Polls; Dist Units Asked To Send Names

Bhubaneswar: With next elections fast approaching, Congress has initiated the exercise for selection of candidates for different Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies across the state.

Launching the spadework for shortlisting candidates for the twin elections, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Sarat Pattanayak has asked the district unit chiefs of the party to send names of suitable aspirants.

The Congress district presidents have been entrusted with the task of shortlisting 3 to 5 eligible candidates for each Lok Sabha and Assembly seat and submit the list to the PCC chief. They have been directed to keep the name of the shortlisted candidates very confidential, party sources said.

The focus is on choosing candidates with high potential to emerge victorious, said Pattanayak. Efforts are on to ensure early candidate selection to avoid conflict relating to ticket distribution in the run up to the election.

Leaders working with the masses at the grassroots level and good winning prospects will be prioritised during ticket distribution. The state Congress will send the shortlisted names to AICC for final approval, the PCC president said.

The OPCC has written to district presidents on October 14 in this regard asking them to submit the shortlisted list within a month.

The district presidents have been directed to discuss with the party MP, MLAs, former MLAs, former MPs, chairman of blocks, NACs, municipalities, Zilla Parishads and heads of different wings of the party organisation.

The method adopted by the PCC chief for selection of candidates has been hailed by senior party leaders and MLAs Suresh Routray and Tara Prasad Bahinipati.

Hailing the initiative as a good beginning, Bahinipati said that the party’s district and block presidents are aware of the winning prospects of various leaders.

Routray said that the state Congress has started a healthy process which will be of immense help in brightening the poll prospects of the party.