SURAJ NANDREKAR
suraj@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Although the AICC General Secretary in-charge of Goa desk Jagmit Singh Brar said that nobody’s tickets have been finalised yet (including sitting MLAs), Herald has found it otherwise.
The Pradesh Election Committee met late night on Friday to shortlist the candidates for the forthcoming Assembly elections, which will be sent to the Screening Committee led by Oscar Fernandes.
Basically, the PEC has kept almost everybody happy with the shortlisting of candidates and now has put the ball in the High Command’s court to take a final call on allotting the tickets.
While the PEC has sent 3 to 4 names in most constituencies, sources in the party told Herald that almost all the Congress sitting MLAs have been given a safe passage, except for a few.
Shockingly, Valanka Alemao, daughter of PWD Minister Churchill Alemao, is the only single candidate shortlisted from Benaulim constituency.
Yuri Alemao, another member of Alemao family, also sees his name shortlisted from Sanguem alongwith three others.
It is pertinent to note here that there is resentment within Congress for giving more than one ticket per family and in this case, it so happens that the Alemaos may get four tickets.
Also, Churchill is the single shortlisted candidate from Navelim as Luizinho Faleiro has not filed his application for ticket from the constituency, sources say.
While Alemaos seem lucky enough, there is little joy and little sorrow for the Home Minister Ravi Naik as his son Roy Naik’s name has been omitted from Mayem while his other son Ritesh is shortlisted for Marcaim seat.
Education Minister Babush Monseratte, who too is fighting for Taleigao seat for his wife and St Cruz for himself, sees his and wife’s names shortlisted from both constituencies.
Rudolf and Victoria Fernandes have also been shortlisted from St Cruz.
The BJP imports in Congress, Rajesh Patnekar and Dayanand Sopte also find their names in the shortlisted candidates from Bicholim and Mandrem respectively.
GPCC President Subash Shirodkar, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat (Margao), Speaker Pratapsing Rane (Poriem), Vishwajit Rane (Valpoi), Filipe Neri (Velim), Babu Kavlekar (Quepem) and Reginald Laurenco (Curtorim) are also single candidates shortlisted from their respective constituencies.
