PWD Minister & Dy Speaker quit BJP after being denied ticket; to contest as Independents

The resentment in the BJP camp over ticket distribution escalated as two more MLAs- Isidore Fernandes and Deepak Pauskar resigned from the party. While Fernandes was the Deputy Speaker of the Goa Assembly, Pauskar was serving as the Minister for Public Works Department, Handicrafts. Textile and Coir and Goa Gazetteer in the Pramod Sawant-led Ministry. As per sources, Fernandes and Pauskar are likely to contest as Independent candidates from Canacona and Sanvordem respectively as BJP fielded Ramesh Tawadkar and Ganesh Gaonkar in these constituencies.

Earlier on Thursday, sources told Republic TV that former Goa CM Laxmikant Parsekar was also miffed after BJP chose to give a ticket to Dayanand Sopte from Mandram and called an urgent meeting of his supporters. In another jolt to the party, Deputy CM  Chandrakant Kavlekar's wife and Mahila Morcha Vice President Savitri Kavlekar resigned from the party and is set to contest as an Independent from the Sanguem seat. Apart from the aforesaid MLAs, 5 other legislators- Wilfred D'Sa, Michael Lobo, Pravin Zantye, Alina Saldanha and Carlos Almeida have quit BJP in a months' time. 

BJP releases 1st list of candidates

Announcing its first list of 34 candidates for the Goa Assembly election a day earlier, BJP revealed that CM Pramod Sawant will contest from the Sanquelim seat. Sawant commenced his electoral journey with a loss in the 2008 by-election to the Pale constituency but managed to win from Sanquelim in the 2012 and 2017 Assembly polls. Moreover, Deputy CM Chandrakant Kavlekar has been nominated from Quepem once again. 

The other Deputy CM- Manohar Azgaonkar who is the sitting MLA from Pernem will take on Congress' potential CM face Digambar Kamar in Margao. Journalist Savio Rodrigues, who is the founder of Goa Chronicle, will fight the polls from the Velim constituency. Overall, the list includes 11 OBC, 9 Christan and 6 new candidates. Aiming at ensuring adequate representation of the disadvantaged sections of society, the party has fielded 3 ST candidates and 1 SC candidate on general seats.

As per the election schedule announced by the Election Commission of India on January 8, the state will go to the polls on February 14 whereas the counting of votes shall take place on March 10. With 11,56,762 registered voters on the electoral rolls, the polling stations have been increased to 1722. In view of the COVID-19 situation, all physical rallies and roadshows have been banned until January 15 and the polling time has been increased by 1 hour.