The Congress party disclosed the names of former Union minister Ramakant Khalap and ex-Navy officer Viriato Fernandes as its contenders for the North and South Goa Lok Sabha constituencies dropping Francisco Sardinha's name from the list on Saturday. In a consensus reached among more than two dozen opposition parties allying, it was agreed upon to field Congress candidates for both Lok Sabha seats in the coastal state.
K C Venugopal, the general secretary of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), formally declared the candidates, putting an end to the prolonged anticipation within the I.N.D.I.A bloc for its nominees, PTI reported.
Meanwhile, the Congress has announced Ajit Ramji Mahla as its candidate for the Dadra and Nagar Haveli Lok Sabha constituency, a seat reserved for Scheduled Tribes.
Notably, the grand old party also declared three more Lok Sabha candidates in Madhya Pradesh, declaring candidates on all seats it is contesting in the state. The party has fielded Satyapal Singh Sikarwar (Neetu) from the Morena parliamentary seat, Praveen Pathak from Gwalior, and Narendra Patel from Khandwa.
About Ramakant Khalap And Viriato Fernandes
Ramakant Khalap, aged 76, previously served as an MP on the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) ticket from North Goa during 1996-1998. He held the position of Union Minister of State for Law in the cabinet of late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Khalap later shifted his allegiance from MGP to Congress.
During his tenure as Law Minister, Khalap played a significant role in the enactment of the Arbitration Act of India and in drafting amendments to the Code of Civil Procedure of India and the Code of Criminal Procedures of India. Additionally, he introduced the Women's Reservation Bill in Parliament.
Viriato Fernandes, nominated by the Congress for the South Goa constituency, is a former Indian Navy officer. His profile, as stated on X handle, indicates his background as a retired Indian Navy officer, a participant in the Kargil War, and holds degrees in mechanical engineering, with specializations in aeronautics engineering, along with double MBA degrees.
Fernandes contested the 2022 Goa legislative assembly elections from the Dabolim constituency but was unsuccessful.
The Lok Sabha elections in Goa are scheduled to take place in a single phase on May 7, with vote counting set for June 4.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has already declared its candidates for the North Goa (Shripad Naik) and South Goa (Pallavi Dempo) seats.
The North Goa constituency has been a stronghold of the ruling BJP since 1999, while South Goa, known for its significant Christian population, has mostly remained under the Congress's influence, although the BJP and regional parties have also won it on occasions.