PANJIM: Congress party stalwarts, whose names do not figure in the list of probable candidates, have begun lobbying in Delhi. The Pradesh Election Committee has sent nearly 55-60 names, which include sitting MLAs and some former Congress bigwigs.
It is learnt that Congress stalwarts like Joaquim Alemao, Aleixo Sequeira, Ramakant Khalap, whose names are not on the list, have begun lobbying for tickets with the High Command in Delhi.
Meanwhile, the Congress Screening Committee headed by MP KC Venugopal will meet on January 4 to finalise the party candidates. The first list of candidates is expected to be out by January 12-13.
Congress has zeroed in on tickets to its six current MLAs, while former Ministers Ravi Naik and Felipe Neri Rodrigues, ex-president Subhash Shirodkar, former MLA Angelo Fernandes, Calangute Deputy Sarpanch Joseph Sequeira, names figure in the list.
“I have been repeatedly saying that Congress will give 50 percent new and young faces to the people of Goa. It is a demand from party workers as well as our voters,” Faleiro said adding, “Our candidates will be a mixture of old and new faces.”
Sources said that though Taleigao MLA Jennifer Monserrate’s candidature is confirmed, the party is also looking for an alternative, in case the MLA resigns and joins her husband Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate’s new party United Goans.
