the goan I network
PERNEM
With the resignation of Dayanand Sopte as Mandrem’s Congress MLA and his entry into the BJP, the doors have opened for Congress heavyweights in the region to take on Sopte in the bypoll.
While it is certain that Sopte will be a BJP candidate for the Mandrem bypoll, the Congress candidate is not as clear, given that a former union minister, a former legislator and a senior state Congress leader could be vying for the party ticket.
Among those in the fray for the Congress ticket are GPCC Vice President Babi Bagkar, former union minister Ramakant Khalap and former MLA Jitendra Deshprabhu.
In fact, Bagkar has already begun his campaign for the party ticket.
When contacted, GPCC President Girish Chodankar said Congress workers from Mandrem will decide the Congress candidate for the bypoll.
“We will leave it to people of Mandrem constituency to decide who should be the candidate. We want a local Congress worker who is loyal to the party so that once he is elected, he will not defect and will be the people’s choice,” Chodankar said.
