Odisha Cong first list for 2019 polls by August-end

Bhubaneswar: In a bid to avoid the last-minute ticket distribution glitches that often lead to revolts and rebellions by deprived candidates, Odisha Pradesh Committee president Niranjan Patnaik on Sunday said his party would, in the first phase, announce names of 50 of its nominees for the 2019 Assembly elections in the state.

Mr Patnaik also informed that name of the other candidates will be subsequently declared, also in a phased manner.

The Congress, at present principal Opposition in the Assembly, has got only 16 legislators in the 147-member Assembly. The ruling BJD has 118 legislators, while the BJP, the second Opposition, has got 10 legislators.

The OPCC chief said early announcement of the names of party candidates would provide adequate time to the candidates to strengthen their base in constituencies.

“The OPCC will announce the list of MLA candidates by August-end. People of Odisha have seen how the BJD government, headed by chief minister Naveen Patnaik, has betrayed them. They have seen rampant corruption, chit fund scams, mining scam and many other heinous activities under the present regime. We hope and believe that they will not commit the same mistake this time,” said Mr Patnaik.

Earlier on Friday, the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) had constituted screening committees for five states, including Odisha.

AICC president Rahul Gandhi has appointed V.D. Satheesan chairman of the screening committee for Odisha Congress. He also named Jitin Prasad and Naushad Solanki as other members of the committee.

According to sources in the Congress, the screening committee will examine recommendations of the state units on ticket distribution and give their own suggestions to the party’s Central Election Committee, which will take the final decision.

“Congress is a political party and they are doing their exercise as the unit has got its new chief. We are least worried what they say about us, said BJD vice-president Debi Prasad Mishra.