3 candidates from each constituency to be shortlisted for Election 2019: OPCC Chief

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee(OPCC) chief Niranjan Patnaik has directed district presidents to elect three candidates from every electoral constituency for the upcoming general elections this year.

"Party district presidents have been asked to recommend 3 names of prospective candidates from each constituency. Selection will be based on performance at grassroots," Patnaik said.

The district presidents will recommend the names of the candidates after holding discussion with the zonal president. The OPCC chief has said that names of the candidates will be referred to the All India Congress Committee (AICC).

According to sources, earlier, 44 names were sent to the AICC and soon a new list of candidates will be prepared and sent.

Meanwhile, Congress workers are gearing up for the elections. As per reports, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel will be a part of election campaigns of the party in western & coastal Odisha.

The OPCC president has reportedly requested Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath, Punjab CM Amarinder Singh, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and deputy CM Sachin Pilot to campaign in Odisha.