MARGAO
Ending days of suspense, the Congress party has nominated sitting ZP member Julio Fernandes for the Velim seat, but the move has had its echo in the Goa Forward Party with the regional party expelling State executive member Frank Viegas from the party primary membership upon reports that he is planning to contest the December 20 polls as an Independent.
While South Goa district Congress chief Savio D’Silva had backed sitting ZP member Julio for the seat, questions were raised within party circles whether party senior leaders had some other plan for Velim.
Amidst the suspense on the party candidate and taking into consideration that the Aam Aadmi Party had already kicked off its campaign for the Velim seat, Congress workers aligned to the sitting ZP member Julio had kicked off the party campaign last week after seeking blessings of the Almighty from the miraculous Baradi Cross.
Sources in the know pointed out that the Congress district chief stood firm in his support for Julio’s candidature and is believed to have got the backing from Congress State party president Amit Patkar. The group supporting Julio contended that the sitting ZP member is a best bet in the prevailing circumstances.
Those opposing Julio’s candidature for the Velim seat, sources said, argued that the party should field a candidate from the general category instead of nominating Julio, who had contested the 2020 ZP election in the OCB reserved category on the Congress banner.
Congman John to contest as Independent
MARGAO: Congressman and two-time former Chinchinim panchayat member John Pereira has on Tuesday decided to contest the Velim ZP election as an Independent. Accompanied by his supporters, John filed his nomination papers before the Returning Officer.
He later told the media that he was twice elected as member of the Chinchinim village panchayat. Saying that he is a Congressman, John said he had made a proposal to the Congress to nominate him for the Velim seat. Since there was no response from the Congress party, John said he has decided to contest as an Independent.
