Elections 2019: Odisha Congress candidates to be finalised soon

Bhubaneswar: Clearing the air over the growing confusion about party's candidates for the upcoming elections, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Chief, Niranjan Patnaik today clarified that the party has not yet finalised the tickets.

Patnaik said that discussions have been held by the Congress screening committee about selection of candidates for the first 3 phases of polls in Odisha. Candidates have been shortlisted for 15 Lok Sabha and some Assembly seats and the OPCC will declare the names of the candidates after receiving a nod from the Central Election Committee (CEC), he said.

"Candidates have been shortlisted for the 3 phases and names will be announced after receiving approval from the party CEC. Nothing has been discussed for the fourth phase polls so far," said Patnaik.

"Discussions are underway, nothing has been finalised. We will announce the names of the candidates soon," said Senior Congress leader, Narasingha Mishra.

It is pertinent to mention here that elections will be conducted in the state in four phases starting April 11. The second, third and fourth phase polls will be conducted on April 18, 23 and 29.