PANAJI
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) threw in a surprise by announcing the candidate of its Rajya Sabha MP Luizinho Faleiro in Fatorda constituency, in its first list of 11 candidates for the upcoming assembly elections scheduled for February 14.
In yet another surprise, the TMC declared Jagdish Bhobe as its candidate for St Andre, barely minutes after he joined the party after resigning from the Goa Forward Party (GFP), following the decision of the Congress to declare its candidate in San Andre which left its GFP ally high and dry.
While former chief minister and sitting MLA Churchill Alemao was given the party ticket for Benaulim, his daughter, Valanka, was given the party ticket to contest from Navelim.
The other candidates declared by the TMC in its first list are Kiran Kandolkar (Aldona), Sandeep Vazarkar (Porvorim), Samil Valvoikar (Cumbarjua), Ganapat Gaonkar (Poriem), Gilbert Rodrigues (Cortalim), Jose Cabral (Nuvem) and Dr Jorson Fernandes (Cuncolim).
But what took many by surprise was the TMC’s decision to field Faleiro in Fatorda and not his traditional constituency of Navelim, where he served as MLA for seven terms.
Faleiro’s decision to contest the assembly polls will also be a response to criticisms that he had left the Congress and joined the TMC in September for “retirement benefits” after he was made the Rajya Sabha MP.
Faleiro’s candidature in Fatorda will now open up a keen battle in the constituency, with Goa Forward Party supremo leader Vijay Sardesai and the BJP, which is yet to officially declare its candidate, in the fray.
Trinamool Congress, meanwhile announced a 69-member State executive committee under the chairmanship of ex-MLA Kiran Kandolkar.
There are nine vice presidents and 12 general secretaries. TMC also appointed a State Trinamool Congress Mahila Committee under the presidentship of Avita Bandodkar.
The Mamata Banerjee-led party also appointed block presidents for all 40 constituencies in the State.
Goa Trinamool Youth Congress committee has also been constituted under the leadership of Jayesh Shetgaokar.
