Goemkarponn Desk
PANAJI: The Congress today has announced its first list candidates for the 2022 assembly elections in Goa. Congress becomes the first party to declare its candidates list.
As per the official list from AICC, Sudhir Kanolkar will be contesting from Mapusa, Rajesh Varenkar from Ponda and Tony Rodrigues for Taleigao.
Further, Digambar Kamat will be contesting from Margao, Alex Reginaldo Lourenco from Curtorim and Yuri Alemao from Cuncolim.
Meanwhile, Altone D’Costa will be contesting from Quepem and Sankalp Amonkar from Mormugao.
AICC election observer for Goa P Chidambaram and Goa in-charge Dinesh Rao are holding pre-alliance talks with the political parties while he was focussing on strengthening the organisation.
Girish Chodankar had said that a major part of the list of candidates will comprise young and new names. Also, the Goa party president added that MLAs who had defected and joined other parties will not be considered. Elections are due in Goa in February 2021.
He said that the party has already decided to declare the names of candidates at least two months before the poll date so that they get enough time for campaigning.
In the 2017 Assembly elections in Goa, Congress won the highest 17 seats in the 40-member House, restricting the BJP to 13. However, surprising the Congress, the saffron party allied with regional parties and formed the government under the leadership of senior leader Manohar Parrikar. After Parrikar’s demise, the CM’s position fell vacant and Pramod Sawant was elected to the post.