Bhubaneswar: Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee President Niranjan Patnaik today clarified about the 'One Man One Post' policy floated by the party for the 2019 polls, thereby putting an end to the confusion that had emerged among some party leaders.

"One man one post means one shall not hold party post and the post of an elected representative simultaneously," Patnaik tweeted.

"Current elected representatives should not hold party post. That does not mean office bearers cannot contest elections. Of course, they are eligible for party ticket," he added.

Commenting on the distribution of tickets by the party for the upcoming Assembly polls, Patnaik said, "I will ensure that tickets are distributed on winnability criteria, with preference to youth, women and new faces."

The 'One Man One Post' formula was recently opposed by Khurda District Congress Committee President and former minister Suresh Kumar Routray who had said that nobody can stop him from contesting the next election as he has worked hard in the Jatni Assembly constituency after his defeat in the 2014 polls.

"If I cannot contest election because I hold the post of Khurda District Congress Committee President, will the same factor be applied to Niranjan Patnaik, who holds the post of Pradesh Congress Committee President?," Routray had questioned.

Notably, Patnaik on June 5 said the party would adopt the 'One Man One Post' policy. On June 9, all Congress MLAs who were party district presidents got dropped from the post in the list of district presidents announced by the All India Congress Committee.