Goa Assembly polls: Congress declares second list of candidates, inducts Independent MLA Prasad Gaonkar

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New Delhi/Panaji: The Congress party has released its second list of candidates for the Goa assembly elections. The list has named seven candidates for the February 14 single-phase polls for the 40-member state assembly, said a statement.

The name of the candidates was finalised after a meeting of the central election committee of the Congress, and it was chaired by party president Sonia Gandhi. The candidates are Jitendra Gaonkar, Rodolf Louis Fernandes, Rajesh Faldessai, Manisha Shenvi Usgaonkar, Viriato Fernandes, Olencio Simoes and Avertano Furtado, said a PTI report.

Last month, Congress had declared the names of eight candidates for the elections. AICC Goa desk in-charge Dinesh Gundu Rao reportedly said that the constituencies of Fatorda (South Goa) and Mayem (North Goa) would be contested by its alliance partner, the Goa Forward Party.

Furtado will contest from the Navelim constituency in South Goa, Gaonkar from Pernem and Rodolf Fernandes from St Cruz segment.

Usgaonkar will be in the fray from the Valpoi constituency, while Viriato Fernandes, a retired defence officer, is the Congress candidate from Dabolim. Olencio Simoes, who had raised the issues concerning local fishermen, is the nominee from the Cortalim seat. 

Independent MLA Prasad Gaonkar joins Congress

Independent Goa MLA Prasad Gaonkar joined the Congress party after submitting his resignation on Sunday. THe move comes a month ahead of the state Assembly elections. Many supporters of Prasad Gaonkar also joined the Congress Party. 

Goa Pradesh election in-charge Dinesh Gundu Rao welcomed Goankar and his 25 odd supporters into the party fold. "I have earlier been a Congress worker but kept myself out of the party in the last 10 years. I have rejoined Congress", Prasad Gaonkar was quoted by an ANI report as saying on Sunday.

Gaonkar said that Goa has witnessed very little development in the last five years, adding "Congress works with a different mentality and ideology which I think would benefit Goa in the future."

Gaonkar further said, "I had extended my support to Trinamool Congress (TMC) and my Karyakartas too had joined the party but we sensed that TMC`s decisions were not good for Goa. So we all left TMC."

AICC secretary election in charge of Goa desk Dinesh Rao told ANI, "TMC should have thought of alliance and support for elections before coming to Goa," adding, "Goa Forward Party is on board and we are in talks with Shiv Sena."

BJP formed illegitimate govt by insulting majority: Congress

Congress has exuded confidence in forming government in Punjab, Uttrakhand, Goa and Manipur while adding that no government will be formed in Uttar Pradesh without the century-old party.

Congres General Secretary Randeep Surjewala earlier told media that the election schedule of five states has been announced by the Election Commission on Saturday but the results have been decided long ago. 

"Every worker and every leader of the Congress party will fight these elections strongly in all the five states and will thwart the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governments in four states and will once again hoist the Congress flag in Punjab. A golden opportunity has now come to the people of the five states. Defeat BJP and inflation," he was quoted by ANI as saying. 

Attacking the BJP further, the Congress leader said, "BJP had formed an illegitimate government by insulting the majority. People in Goa are looking towards the Congress party by rising above the division of caste and religion to remove the corrupt BJP government."

Notably, Election Commission on Saturday announced the schedule for the upcoming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Punjab, Manipur and Uttarakhand.

Uttar Pradesh to go to poll in 7 phases from February 10 to March 7, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Goa to vote on February 14 and Manipur to vote on February 27 and March 3. The poll panel said the counting of votes will begin from March 10. 

(With Agency Inputs)