PANJIM: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will announce their candidate for the lone Rajya Sabha seat on Wednesday before Chief minister Manohar Parrikar heads for his week-long US trip from July 6.
Sources confirmed that BJP State President Vinay Tendulkar is most likely to be the party’s RS candidate, the polls for which are scheduled on July 21.
“The short-listing process is on. We are holding discussions with all the MLAs including those from coalition parties over the selection of candidates,” Parrikar told media persons.
“By tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon, I will announce the candidate. But the party’s parliamentary board is the final authority to decide on the ticket,” he said.
The chief minister will leave for the US on July 6 and will return on July 13.
The term of office of the sole member of Rajya Sabha Shantaram Naik (Congress) is due to expire on July 28. The Chief Electoral Office (CEO) on Tuesday issued a notification inviting nomination for the elections. The last date for filing the nomination is July 11.
Meanwhile, the chief minister said additional portfolios would be allocated to Cabinet ministers after the upcoming monsoon session of the State Legislative assembly.
