Bhubaneswar: Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Niranjan Patnaik on Tuesday made it clear that winnability would be the only criterion for candidate selection in the upcoming elections.

Patnaik was forced to make a statement after a section of leaders questioned the PCC's "one man, one post" policy. Even senior leader and former minister Suresh Routray had raised his voice.

"The 'one man one post' issue has been misinterpreted. A candidate who has better chance of winning - whether he is a president, secretary or even an executive member - will be given tickets in the upcoming elections," he said.

Maintaining that winnability would be the primary criterion for ticket distribution, Patnaik said: "We will also give preference to the youth and the women. We will accommodate new faces and take a decision on ticket distribution after getting feedbacks from the grassroots level and not here (in Bhubaneswar)."

"The 'one man, one post' policy was taken to enable the leaders devote more time to their constituencies."

Patnaik also tried to diffuse dissension that had cropped up in the party following changes at the district level on Saturday. The party named 22 new presidents out of its 33 organisational districts.

The changes were made in keeping with the one man, one post policy principle.

Routray, father-in-law of former PCC chief Prasad Harichandan, said: "The formula would bar many important leaders from contesting the upcoming elections. I am not ready to follow it."

On Tuesday, Routray expressed happiness over the development. "I must thank Niranjan babu for his decision to select candidates on the basis of their winnability. The Congress will bounce back."