BHUBANESWAR: IN a change of strategy for the 2024 Assembly election, the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) has given green signal to around 50 candidates to work in their constituencies.
OPCC president Sarat Pattanayak said organisational work for the next election has already begun and candidates have started work. Stating that political scene in Odisha is likely to undergo a lot of changes in the coming days, Pattanayak said there is huge anti-incumbency against the BJD government.
Pattanayak said Congress will take advantage from the anti-incumbency factor as a genuine Opposition to the BJD as the regional party will have a friendly fight with the BJP. “The Congress feels that despite the show of rivalry at the state level, there will be some sort of understanding between the BJD and BJP. Congress is preparing for this scenario during the election,” he added.
The OPCC president said all the eight Congress MLAs of the state will be given tickets. Steps are being taken to bring back all former Congressmen to the party. Those having grassroots base will be fielded by the party, he said.
Pattanayak also did not deny speculation that suspension of Barabati-Cuttack MLA Mohammed Moquim will be revoked soon and he will contest from the constituency in the next election. He said growing crime against women in Odisha and failure of both the Centre and the state government to create jobs for the youths will be the major issues. Yatras conducted by the state Congress during the last one year has taken the party nearer to the people and there will be marked improvement in its performance in elections. “The Congress seats will increase from 9 to 90. The party will form the next government,” he added.