Bhubaneswar: The Congress on Sunday changed its candidates in five assembly constituencies in Odisha, while fielding Akshay Acharya from the Nilgiri assembly seat.

In place of Aarti Dev, the party has made former minister and four-time MLA Debashish Nayak its candidate from Bari assembly constituency. After not getting a ticket from BJP, Nayak joined Congress on Saturday.

Nayak had joined BJP from BJD in February. Nayak was elected to the state assembly from Bari assembly seat on BJ ticket in 2000, 2004, 2009 and 2014.

Congress spokesperson Sudarshan Das has been made the candidate from Jaleshwar assembly constituency in place of Debi Prasanna Chand. For the Athamallik assembly constituency, the party has fielded Himanshu Chaulia in place of Bijayananda Chaulia, while for the Puri assembly constituency, it has fielded Uma Ballav Rath in place of Sujit Mahapatra.

Sudarshan Sahu is the new candidate of Congress from Athagarh assembly constituency. The party had earlier nominated Mehboob Ahmed Khan as its candidate from this seat.

On Saturday, the party changed its candidate from Puri Lok Sabha constituency, Sucharita Mohanty, after she returned the ticket due to alleged lack of funding from the party. Congress has made Jai Narayan Patnaik its candidate from Puri Lok Sabha seat.

With this list, the Congress party has announced candidates for 145 of the 14 assembly constituencies in Odisha. Congress has left one seat for JMM and one seat for CPI (M).

Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Odisha will be held simultaneously in four phases from May 13 to June 1.