Will contest next elections: Niranjan

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Bhubaneswar: Making way for leaders who are holding key positions in the party, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Niranjan Patnaik Tuesday said he would contest the elections due in 2019.
Patnaik also cleared the air over the one-man-one-post policy. He clarified that the policy meant one leader should not hold two posts simultaneously.“The decision has been taken so that leaders holding constitutional posts can devote more time to their constituency,” he said, adding, “I will also contest in the next election.”
However, the leader did not specify if he would fight for an MLA or MP seat.
Stating that the one-man-one-post policy has been misinterpreted by the media, the PCC chief said, “Only one criterion will be taken into consideration while giving the tickets, and that is winning ability.”
A candidate having the ability to win would be definitely given the ticket in the upcoming elections, he said. He may be a president, secretary or even an executive member, he pointed out. Patnaik had earlier advocated the one-man-one-post policy triggering rumblings of discontent within the party, especially among the senior leaders.
The row started after the resignation of Cuttack district president Prakash Behera. Behera also represents Salepur constituency in the state Assembly. Saturday, senior leader of the party and president of Khurda district Congress committee (DCC) Suresh Kumar Routray had also voiced his protest against the new rule saying it would debar many important leaders, including him, from getting tickets.