Congress to mostly field ‘young and new’ candidates for Goa elections 2022; first list by Nov-end

PANAJI, (PTI): The Congress in Goa would announce the first list of its candidates for the upcoming Goa polls due to be held in February next year, by the end of this month, state party president Girish Chodankar said on Sunday and added that a bulk of the nominees would be young and new.

Addressing a press conference at the Congress office in Panaji, Chodankar reiterated that MLAs who had defected and joined other parties will not be considered.

”The process of short-listing candidates for the Goa polls will gather momentum as the AICC has announced a screening committee for Goa. At least 70 to 80 per cent of Congress’ candidates will be young and new,” he said.

Elections are due in Goa in February next year. Chodankar said Block committees of the party will be taken into confidence while deciding the candidates.

“More importance would be given to the candidates recommended by the block committees in respective constituencies,” he said.

The Congress leader refused to comment on a pre-poll alliance with like-minded parties. In the 2017 Goa Assembly polls, the Congress had won the highest 17 seats in the 40-member House restricting the BJP at 13. However, the BJP allied with regional parties- GFP and MGP- to form a government under the late Manohar Parrikar.

Chodankar who is personally against aligning with other political parties for the polls and wants to go solo, said his focus was on strengthening the party organization, while the issue of alliance was being handled from Delhi.

Over years, the Congress’ strength dwindled to four as many MLAs switched over to the ruling BJP. Faleiro recently joined TMC.

(With inputs from PTI)