PERNEM
The ‘hand’ symbol will be missing from ballots in Mandrem constituency for the first time since 1963, after the Congress party decided to allot the constituency to the Goa Forward Party (GFP) as part of their alliance.
While this has upset many Congress party workers, the GFP candidate, Deepak Kalangutkar, was overjoyed and said he had the chance to create history in the Mandrem constituency.
Sachin Parab expressed shock over the decision of the Congress, since he along with former union minister Ramakant Khalap and Morjim Zilla Panchayat member Satish Shetgaonkar were among the aspirants for the party ticket.
When contacted, Parab said many of his supporters have decided to resign from the Congress party.
“I will make a decision in the next two days, but I will never give up social work,” he added.
Meanwhile, the GFP candidate, Deepak Kalangutkar, was overjoyed at the decision to field him as the Congress-GFP alliance candidate in the Mandrem constitiuency.
“I'm grateful for the confidence shown in me by GFP supremo Vijai Sardesai and AICC state in-charge Dinesh Gundu Rao. I'm sure of victory with the help from Congress karyakartas and the people of Mandrem," said Kalangutkar.
