Team Herald
PANJIM: Ending days of speculation, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released its first list of 29 candidates.
The list includes the names of 18 of the current 21 MLAs. The MLAs left out from the first list are Speaker Anant Shet and Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar, and also deputy speaker Vishnu Wagh who is hospitalised in Mumbai.
Interestingly, BJP State unit president Vinay Tendulkar had earlier stated that at least two or three MLAs would not be given party tickets.
With two MLAs not granted ticket it is more or less confirmed that Shet and Tawadkar are unlikely to figure in the next list too. Wagh’s brother, Ramrao Wagh, has been given a ticket.
Further, as expected, Rajesh Patnekar who deserted the party in 2012 has returned to the fold and been named candidate from Bicholim. Congress imports, Pandurang Madkaikar (Cumbharjua) and Mauvin Godinho (Dabolim), also find a place in the first list.
The party has chosen to field young leaders Guruprasad Pawaskar, Pradeep Shet and Hemant Golatkar from Porvorim, Marcaim and St Cruz constituencies respectively.
Asked why the two sitting MLAs names have not been announced, BJP’s Goa in-charge and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said the party is studying the constituencies and will take a decision in the next two days. “We have been working on all constituencies and in the next two days all names should be out,” he said.
Asked whether there is any conflict in the party viz-a-viz ticket distribution, Gadkari said, “Not at all. The BJP has followed the most democratic way of ticket distribution and hence there is no question of conflict in the party.”
The BJP said it will contest in 37 seats and will support three independent candidates.
