Congress screening panel to visit Odisha again for Lok Sabha and assembly polls

BHUBANESWAR: The screening committee of All India Congress Committee (AICC) to select candidates for upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections will again visit the State towards month end to complete the process for remaining 10 Lok Sabha constituencies and Assembly seats in their area.

Member of the screening committee Naushad Solanki said on Saturday like the previous visit, the panel will continue with the candidate selection process in consultation with party leaders and workers at the grassroots.

“We are sure that screening of poll candidates will be completed soon so that we can submit the recommended names for finalisation by the party High Command,” he said.

Solanki said leaders who are completely dedicated to the party, ideologically uncompromising, public-oriented and with the high probability of winning will be frontrunners for party tickets.

Sources said the candidates who lost elections for three consecutive times and those who lost deposit in 2014 elections will not be considered.

A team of the Screening Committee, led by chairman VD Satheesan, held discussion for three days with various stakeholders at the district and zonal levels for a consensus on the selection of candidates.

Sources said the Congress list of candidates will be announced after the party’s talks with like-minded parties for seat adjustment are over. Congress will go for seat adjustments with the Left parties and JMM for the upcoming polls.

Finalisation of candidates was scheduled for February-end on the direction of AICC president Rahul Gandhi. It has now been deferred to March first week.