PANAJI
The Bharatiya Janata Party’s Goa unit has announced that it will support independent candidates in Zilla Panchayat (ZP) constituencies currently represented by Independents who are part of the ruling coalition, even as it confirmed that three seats have been allotted to the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP).
Speaking to reporters after meeting the party’s first batch of ZP nominees, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said a second list of candidates would be released on Tuesday.
“We need to provide guidance to the nominated candidates for the ZP polls, such as the rules, regulations, and on how to win the polls... Wherever Independent MLAs have fielded candidates, we will support them. We have given three seats to the MGP,” he said.
The CM added that the party was introducing almost entirely new faces for the upcoming polls.
BJP State President Damu Naik said the shortlist had been drawn up through a democratic process, as he responded to criticism from MGP’s Ketan Bhatikar, who objected to the BJP announcing a candidate in the Curti“Ponda seat, which is currently held by an MGP ZP member.
“Our candidates have been finalised through a democratic process that we followed,” Naik said, adding, “We are an organised party.”
Regarding the new faces, he said the party is confident that they will be able to win polls.
Naik further said the candidate selection was based on capacity, capability, experience and loyalty, and added that some fresh names were introduced owing to the reservation pattern.
