PANJIM: In an interesting development, the Bharatiya Janata Party has decided to contest in 37 constituencies and support Independent candidates in three.
Addressing the media, BJP State President Vinay Tendulkar said the party expects to win a minimum of 25 of the 37 seats it will contest. “Velim, Benaulim and Nuvem will be the three seats where the party will support other candidates,” Tendulkar said.
However, the party is still undecided on whether to contest Navelim on its own or not. “We are still weighing the option,” said Tendulkar when quizzed on the Navelim seat. Sources said the party has asked Independent MLA Avertano Furtado to contest on the party symbol.
Tendulkar also said that the first list of candidates should be out by the end of this week and that the core committee has held consultations with mandal samitis and party workers in 22 constituencies.
He said, “The process for the remaining constituencies will resume on Jan 5. On 6th and 7th the parliamentary board will meet and we expect to finalise a few names.”
Tendulkar will head the party’s 14-member State Election Committee. He said that the 14-member committee has been approved by the BJP Parliamentary Board. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar are part of the committee, he said.
Other members of the committee are AYUSH Minister Shripad Naik, Dy CM Francis D’Souza, Ministers Dayanand Mandrekar, Rajendra Arlekar, South Goa MP Narendra Sawaikar, BJP Vice president Dattaprasad Kholkar, General Secretary Sadanand Shet Tanawade, Sanjeev Desai, Damodar Naik, Kunda Chodankar, Sulakshana Sawant. The term of the committee is for three years.
Tendulkar said the State Election Committee will select the candidates and recommend names to Central Parliamentary Board.
