BJP announces Goa candidate first list

Panaji, Feb 05 (IBNS) The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in Goa has announced its first list of candidates for the upcoming Goa Assembly polls slated for March 3.

Releasing the list in the state BJP office in the capital, party's national President Nitin Gadkari told reporters that party high command has approved 34 seats in the first slot of which eight will be given to Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP).

With this the BJP and MGP alliance has been finalized. The alliance comes at the time when Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) decided to contest the crucial 2012 election together.

MGP, Goa's oldest regional party and an important ally in the Congress coalition, snapped alliance with the latter to join hands with the saffron party.

BJP's central party committee has interestingly cleared Shripad Naik for the new Porvorim seat, hence clearing out bitterness within the party.

Another surprising factor is that BJP will support independent candidate Nirmala Sawant in Cumbarjua constituency.

While giving out two of its important constituencies - Quepem and Thivim to MGP and a few to new entrants, all sitting MLAs have been retained.

Manohar Parrikar is set to challenge Congress' Yatin Parekh in Panaji constituency.

With Chief Minister Digambar Kamat contesting from Margao, BJP has planted a soldier who can give him a tough competition.

Rupesh Mahatme once a loyal man to Kamat when the latter was in BJP will now contest against the minister.

(Reporting by John Edwards)