Team Herald
PANJIM: The Congress Legislature Party (CLP), led by Chandrakant Kavalekar, is scheduled to meet on Wednesday and shortlist candidates for the Panjim and Valpoi by-elections, due in the next three months. It will also chalk out strategy for the upcoming monsoon session beginning from July18.
Kavalekar said CLP will shortlist the candidates for the Panjim and Valpoi by-elections and the names will be submitted to the High Command for a final decision.
It is learnt that former Congressman Atanasio Monserrate will re-enter the party and be the candidate in Panjim against Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar. In Valpoi, Congress has zeroed in on Roy Naik, son of Ponda MLA Ravi Naik, to take on Health Minister Vishwajit Rane.
This will be the first CLP meeting after State unit President Luizinho Faleiro tendered a fresh resignation blaming “some senior leaders” for his decision.
The CLP will also discuss strategy to corner the government during the monsoon session, which will have detailed discussions on the Governor’s address and Budget 2017-18.
The meeting will also resolve that the government withdraw the circular debarring government officials from attending meetings convened by public representatives at their residences or offices.
“The circular is dictatorship of the government which will not be accepted. We will also take up the issue in the Assembly,” Kavalekar said.
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Vishwajit dares Cong to field Girish against him
PANJIM: Health Minister Vishwajit Rane dared Congress to field All India Congress Committee (AICC) Secretary Girish Chodankar against him in the by-polls to the Valpoi Assembly seat. Rane said, “While Congress does not have a candidate to contest and when my father is not willing to campaign, I would request the Congress to field Girish. At least there will be some fight as he would be able to get the votes of his brothers from Usgao.”
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Cong MLAs to meet Meira Kumar
All Congress MLAs from Goa will meet the opposition’s Presidential candidate, Meira Kumar, on June 30 in Mumbai. CLP leader Chandrakant Kavalekar said the 16 MLAs from Goa and all Congress MLAs from Maharashtra will meet Kumar and extend their support to her candidature. The Presidential elections are scheduled on July 17. The Narendra Modi-led government has fielded Ram Nath Kovind.
