Team Herald
PANJIM: After a series of back to back meetings on Sunday, uncertainty still prevails over the candidature of Mayem MLA Anant Shet and Canacona MLA Ramesh Tawadkar ahead of the upcoming Goa State Legislative Assembly elections scheduled for February 4, 2017.
Earlier on January 6, BJP had finalised names for 21 constituencies which included all sitting MLAs except for Pernem, Mayem, Sanvordem and Canacona where the party is either facing revolt or does not want the same candidate.
However, BJP shortlisted candidates for three more constituencies, on Sunday — Prakash Velip in Quepem, Vishwajit Krishnarao Rane in Poriem and Ramrao Wagh in St Andre.
Sources informed that members were in favour of candidature to Anant Shet and Ramesh Tawadkar during BJP’s core committee meetings with Mayem and Canacona mandal committee members.
In Mayem, the BJP is planning on replacing Shet with former Congress candidate Pravin Zantye and Tawadkar with former Canacona BJP MLA Vijay Pai Khot.
BJP also held a meeting with members of Sanvordem constituency. There also two names have come up for BJP’s candidature namely MLA Ganesh Gaonkar and Party’s State President Vinay Tendulkar.
The meetings are expected to continue on Monday too with the last lot of four constituencies remaining to be taken up for discussion about the candidate.
Meanwhile BJP’s State Election Committee is expected to meet on January 10 to shortlist candidates in remaining 19 constituencies. These names will be then forwarded to the Party’s Parliamentary Board for final approval which is likely to meet on January 11.
