BJP releases list of 29 candidates for Goa assembly polls

New Delhi, Jan 12 (IANS) The BJP on Thursday released its first list of 29 candidates for the Goa assembly elections scheduled to be held on February 4.

The list includes the names of the 18 incumbent legislators.

Union minister J.P. Nadda announced the names of the candidates after a meeting of the party’s central election committee (CEC).

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced the candidature of Chief Minister Laxmikant Yeshwant Parsekar from Mandrem, Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar from Pernem (SC), Kiran Kandolkar from Thivim, Francis D’Souza from Mapusa, Dayanand Rayu Mandrekar from Siolim, Dilip Dnyaneshwar Parulekar from Saligao and Michael V. Lobo from Calangute.

Ramrao Wagh, brother of sitting St. Andre MLA Vishnu Wagh who was hospitalised last year, has been finalised for the same legislative assembly seat.

The BJP has fielded Glenn Souza Ticlo from Aldona, Sidharth Sripad Kuncalienker from Panaji, Pramod Pandurang Sawant from Sanquelim, Mahadev Narayan Naik from Siroda and Milind Sagun Naik from Mormugao.

The list of 29 MLAs however does not include candidates for the Mayem and Canacona seat, which has seen intense squabbling between the sitting MLAs Anant Shet and Ramesh Tawadkar respectively and rival candidates. While Shet is a Speaker of the Goa legislative assembly, Tawadkar is a sports minister.

The elections for the 40 assembly seats are scheduled to be held on February 4.

Results of the elections would be announced on March 11.