Upset with Goa candidate selection, two senior Congress leaders to join BJP

PANAJI: Upset with the selection of candidates by the Congress for the North and South Goa constituencies, two senior Congress leaders are slated to join the BJP.

One of the leaders who spoke to this website said they are talking to BJP leaders in Goa and will take a decision soon.

The joining date will be decided by the Central leadership in Delhi, they said.

Senior BJP leaders in Goa did not comment and even feigned ignorance about the development. “We do not know. Many Congress leaders in Goa want to join the BJP,” they said.

Earlier in the day, the Congress named former Union Law Minister Ramakant Khalap as its candidate for the North Goa constituency and retired Naval officer Captain Viriato Fernandes for South Goa. The announcement was made during mid-day.

There were several contenders for the Congress tickets, both in North and South Goa, including former Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) President Girish Chodankar, who is said to be very close to Rahul Gandhi and Congress leader K C Venugopal.

The sitting MP and former Goa CM, Francisco Sardinha was also a contender from South Goa, but was dropped due to his age. Sardinha has been elected four times as an MP and six times as an MLA. He is one of the senior most politicians in the State of Goa. He said, though he was disappointed, he was not hurt and will support the party candidate.