The Congress on May 5 changed its candidates in five assembly constituencies in Odisha while naming Akshaya Acharya from the Nilgiri Assembly seat.
The party has nominated former Minister and four-time MLA Debashish Nayak for the Bari Assembly constituency replacing Arati Deo. Mr. Nayak had joined the Congress on May 4 after BJP denied him a ticket.
Mr. Nayak had joined the BJP in February from the BJD. Mr. Nayak was elected to the State Assembly from the Bari Assembly seat in 2000, 2004, 2009 and 2014 on the BJD ticket.