BHUBANESWAR: In what could be seen as an attempt to shake-off the dynasty politics tag, Odisha in-charge of Congress Jeetendra Prasad on Tuesday announced that the party will give only one ticket to one family. Speaking at the concluding day of the party’s Odisha unit’s three-day brainstorming session here, Prasad said established leaders will get a chance to contest elections on the party’s ticket. He clarified that no recommendations would be entertained during the ticket distribution process. “Almost a year ago, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) had constituted the screening committee. Within the next few days, candidates will be selected for tickets which will be distributed only on merit and not recommendations,” the senior party leader said.
Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Niranjan Patnaik said that AICC’s decision on ticket distribution will be followed. However, the delay in announcement of State office-bearers remains a matter of concern for the party. Though Niranjan was appointed as OPCC president nearly three months back, the list of State office-bearers is yet to be finalised. Sources in the party, however, maintained that it is likely to be announced soon. The block and district level units have already been revamped with the presidents being appointed in several of them.
AICC president Rahul Gandhi had approved a 31-member coordination committee of the OPCC on Saturday. While the Odisha in-charge has been appointed as its chairperson, former minister Jagannath Patnaik has been named as its convenor. The first meeting of the coordination committee which continued for three days was convened on Sunday. Earlier in June, Niranjan had announced that the party will declare the first list of at least 50 legislator candidates by August to provide them adequate time to strengthen their base in respective constituencies.