Congress to field candidate against Goa CM Manohar Parrikar in bypoll

03 May 2017 1:43 PM | General
211 Report

Congress to field candidate against Goa CM Manohar Parrikar in bypoll

The Congress today said it will contest the bypoll which is likely to be held soon to facilitate Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's entry into the State Legislative Assembly.     

Parrikar was sworn-in as Goa Chief Minister on March 14 this year. He has to get elected to the Assembly within six months of taking charge as the CM.     

Parrikar resigned as the Defence Minister after the BJP formed the government in Goa following the assembly elections in February.     

"Whichever constituency Parrikar is going to contest, Congress will field its candidate against him. The party has decided that it will defeat Parrikar in the by-election," Goa Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Chandrakant Kavlekar said.     

He said all his legislators are united and have vowed to defeat Parrikar, whose party according to them, stole the mandate given to Congress by the people in the Assembly polls.     

In the 40-member Goa House, Congress had won 17 seats and BJP 13. However, the latter formed the government after cobbling up support from regional parties and independents.     

Congress had not fielded its candidate from Panaji constituency in the Assembly election and had extended support to United Goans' party nominee Atanasio Monserratte, who contested against BJP's Kuncolienkar, and lost.     

The BJP is likely to meet this week to decide on the constituency from which Parrikar will contest the bypoll.

Edited By

Shruthi G

Reported By

Shruthi G

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