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Family matters hold up Cong list
The Congress' second list of candidates for the assembly elections in Goa has been held up due to the kin factor. The party has already announced 22 candidates in its first list. There are 40 seats in the assembly.
The Congress' second list of candidates for the assembly elections in Goa has been held up due to the kin factor. The party has already announced 22 candidates in its first list. There are 40 seats in the assembly.
Congress sources said several senior leaders have demanded key seats for their kin and the central leadership is looking into various options before finalising the names.
The Alemao brothers and senior cabinet ministers Churchill and Joaquim are demanding seats for their children. While Churchill wants the ticket for his lawyer daughter Valanka from Benaulim, Joaquim's son Yuri has staked claim on the mining-hit Sanguem constituency.
Valanka had earlier been debarred from contesting the Youth Congress elections after she was found to have violated the code of conduct by taking the help of senior party leaders for electoral gains. The move prompted resignation threats from the Alemao brothers but they were pacified with the promise that Valanka would be suitably accommodated in the coming polls.
Similarly, education minister Atanasio alias Babush Monserrate is seeking a ticket for his wife Jennifer from Taleigao, a constituency represented thrice by him in the past. Monserrate will this time contest from Santa Cruz, edging out Victoria Fernandes, the only woman sitting MLA.
Home minister Ravi Naik, seeking re-election from Ponda, is demanding ticket for his son Ritesh from Marcaim.
The pause is also due to the Muslim factor. A suggestion to field Muslim candidates from Murmugao and Fatorda constituencies is finding few takers among the state leaders, arguing that Muslims don't form the "decisive votes" in these two seats.
