Winnability to remain main yardstick for party poll ticket: Odisha Congress

Bhubaneswar, June 12 (IANS) Congress' Odisha unit President Niranjan Patnaik on Tuesday said winnability would remain the primary criteria of ticket distribution for the 2019 state assembly elections .

"As the President of Odisha Congress, I will ensure that tickets are distributed on winnability criteria, with preference to youth, women and new faces," he said.

Clearing the air on party's stand of 'one man one post', he said it means one shall not hold a party post and that of an elected representative simultaneously.

"However, a candidate who has a better chance of winning will definitely be given tickets during the upcoming elections whether he is a President, Secretary or even an executive member," clarified Patnaik.

He said the decision on tickets distribution will be taken at the grassroot level and not here in Bhubaneswar.

Certain party leaders had raised an objection to the one man one post system in the Odisha Congress.