2024 General Election: Odisha Congress refutes ‘cash-for-ticket’ allegations

Speculations are rife that money is being taken from aspiring candidates for Congress party tickets in Odisha for the upcoming 2024 General Election. 

In a letter addressed to the presidents and leaders of all district Congress committees and other party wings, it has been stated that the names of MLA and MP candidates for the 2024 General Election will be announced at the right time by AICC. Moreover, party workers having the possibility to win the election will be announced as candidates.

However, it has come to the notice of PCC President Sarat Pattanayak that some persons are allegedly taking money from some aspiring Congress candidates with the assurances of giving them Congress tickets.

Pattanayak made it clear that these kinds of assurances are false. He further urged the party workers and the aspiring candidates not to be influenced by these false assurances.

Senior Congress leader Panchanan Kanungo also issued a warning to the aspiring candidates not to be swayed by these false assurances.

“If the demand is more and supply is less then there is a possibility of transaction of money. But this kind of situation has not come to Congress yet. If anybody is giving money, he will be duped,” said Kanungo.

Meanwhile, as per political analyst Akshay Sahu, it’s a political gimmick by the Congress party.

Persons with minimum knowledge of politics will not accept the truth in the letter. It might have been done to increase the party’s share in the political stock market, said Sahu.

“It’s a political trick. Congress has now lost almost 50 per cent of its votes. A political party can sell itself like a product if its leaders have brand values. Congress as a brand in Odisha doesn’t have that much stake. If a brand has not that much stake, selling its ticket is impossible,” Sahu added.