Bhubaneswar: With major political parties in Odisha adopting a cautious approach in announcing their candidates for the upcoming elections, the Congress party has assured that it will release the list of its nominees very soon. While both the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have unveiled candidates for some seats, Congress has yet to declare any names.
Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Sarat Pattnayak stated that the grand old party is prepared to announce its candidates shortly. He mentioned that the list is finalized, awaiting final approval, and assured that the party will reveal the candidates for both Assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies in Odisha after obtaining the necessary clearance.
Pattnayak indicated that the party might release the list of some candidates in the first phase by Tuesday evening, hinting at a possible phased approach to the announcement. The state Congress has already submitted its list of candidates to the Central Election Committee (CEC) for approval, although it remains uncertain whether the entire list will be disclosed at once or gradually.
Earlier, Congress leaders had anticipated releasing the candidates’ list by the first week of March, but strategic deliberations were delayed amid speculations about a potential BJD-BJP alliance. However, the suspense surrounding the alliance ended after both parties confirmed their intention to contest the elections independently, without any formal agreement.
Notably, the BJD has announced candidates for 72 Assembly and 15 Lok Sabha seats out of 147 and 21 constituencies, respectively. In contrast, the BJP has revealed candidates for all 21 Lok Sabha seats but has yet to declare candidates for any Assembly constituency, setting the stage for a closely watched electoral contest in Odisha.
