Cong. announces Shantaram Naik as its Rajya Sabha nominee from Goa

PANAJI: The Congress party today announced that Rajya Sabha member Shantaram Naik will be their candidate for the upcoming Upper House poll.

"AICC President Sonia Gandhi and Vice President Rahul Gandhi has approved the name of Pradesh Congress Committee President Shantaram Naik as the candidate of Indian National Congress for Rajya Sabha seat from Goa," AICC in-charge of Goa Chellakumar said.

Naik, who is the lone Rajya Sabha from the state, was appointed as the president of Goa Pradesh Congress Committee this week.The election is due for July 21 and the last date of filing nomination is July 11. BJP has already announced that their party unit president Vinay Tendulkar will be the candidate for the Rajya Sabha poll.

Tendulkar has the support of 12 legislators from his own party, three each from the Goa Forward party and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and the Independents. Naik will enjoy the support of 16 legislators from his party and one from the Nationalist Congress Party.

There are 38 legislators in the 40-member assembly with one MLA each from Congress and BJP resigning after the 2017 State legislative assembly election.