The State BJP is set to start a formal exercise to shortlist candidates for the coming lok Sabha elections in its election committee meeting scheduled to be held on February 20 under the chairmanship of president KV Singh Deo.
The list of prospective candidates for the 21 lok Sabha seats would be recommended to the party’s central election committee next week to finalize the nominations, said party sources.
Sources said that the final list of nominations for Odisha is likely to be out by end of February to facilitate the candidates to start their campaigning in right earnest.
Though the State election committee headed by Sigh Deo was to sit on February 16 to start the selection process of candidates for the lok Sabha, it was postponed due to Prime Minister candidate Narendra Modi’s rally in Bhubaneswar.
Meanwhile, the coordinators appointed at the lok Sabha constituency level for compiling a list of candidates have reportedly submitted their proposals to the party president. Sources said that the election committee would sit by end of February to start the exercise to finalise the recommendation of nominations for the Assembly elections for declaration of list.
The February 20 meeting would be held in the evening after the zonal meeting at the State party headquarters which would discuss the strategies for the successful implementation of the programmes like “Sahajog ra goti a note, padma phula re goti a vote” to reach out every household through the booth committees.
The zonal meeting would be attended by all zonal heads, presidents of executive members, organizational district presidents, State office bearers, heads of various wings, Zilla Parishad presidents, UlB chiefs, MlAs and ex-MlAs and MPs.
Sources said that barring a few changes, the party is likely to retain the old names in the list of candidates who fought the last lok Sabha polls unsuccessfully. The names like Suresh Pujari, Rudra Narayan Pani and Bhrugu Buxipatra are set to be included in the list for prospective lok Sabha candidates.