TEAM HERALD
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PANJIM: The Congress in Goa would shortlist, only after December 10, four names of probable Lok Sabha candidates for each district and send them to New Delhi for consideration by the High Command, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) President Subhash Shirodkar said on Thursday.
Shirodkar told Herald that the party has already identified eight probable candidates; four each in North and South, however, more names are also welcomed from party workers. “Final eight names would be sent to party High Command for consideration,” he said.
Shirodkar, though, refused to disclose the names of the probable candidates, it is learnt that those who have been showing loyalty towards party and know how to exploit political equations would certainly be given top priority.
Refusing to clarify whether the Congress would insist on contesting both the Parliamentary seats, instead of sticking to their traditional alliance with the NCP, Shirodkar reiterated “we have probable candidates for both, North and South…we will abide by the decision of the party high command.”
This sends a clear signal that failure to gain majority at the March 2012 Assembly polls despite having an alliance with NCP, Congress in Goa, this time would prefer to go it alone at the hustings.
When asked the reason behind the delay in sending the candidate list, Shirodkar said ‘there is still time left’. A former Congress minister has recently threatened to expose Congress members, who are in fray for LS polls and holding dual citizenship.
The buzz is that various Congress politicians are trying to contest from South Goa. These include sitting South Goa Congress MP Francisco Sardinha, Luizinho Faleiro, Ravi Naik and Churchill Alemao. In North Goa, the names doing the rounds are those of Ramakant Khalap and Jitendra Deshprabhu.
While Congress is still confused over their candidates for the LS polls, its main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party has unofficially finalized its candidates ~ sitting MP Shripad Naik for North Goa and Narendra Sawaikar for South. BJP too, is facing a hitch from one of its legislator- Vishnu Wagh, who has expressed his willingness to contest from North Goa seat.
