Goa assembly polls 2022: CM Pramod Sawant leaves for Delhi, BJP list may be out soon
The Goa Assembly election is scheduled to take place on February 14 and results will be announced along with four other states on March 10.
Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday left for Delhi where he is likely to hold a meeting with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president JP Nadda and finalise the list of candidates for the upcoming Assembly election in the coastal state.
The CM had earlier told reporters the party's parliamentary board will finalise the names of candidates for the polls on January 16, a day after BJP functionaries meet with the top brass.
A senior party functionary said on Friday the ruling BJP in Goa is expected to contest 38 of the total 40 Assembly seats in the state.
News agency PTI, quoting the office-bearer, said that in two Christian-dominated constituencies - Benaulim and Nuvem - the party will not field any candidate on its symbol.
"A formal announcement about the candidates would be made after January 16 when the party's parliamentary board approves the list," he said.
The BJP has been holding meetings of its core committee to finalise the names of the candidates. Former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadanavis, who is the party's in-charge for Goa elections, has been chairing meetings attended by BJP's state unit president Sadanand Shet Tanavade and Sawant among others.
The BJP is currently ruling Goa with 23 MLAs by its side as four legislators - Michael Lobo, Alina Saldanha , Carlose Almeida and Pravin Zantye - resigned from the party and the House in the past few days.
Apart from the BJP and Congress, several other parties, including the TMC and Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), have joined the poll fray in the state in a bid to expand their base. The Assembly election is scheduled to take place on February 14 and results will be announced along with four other states on March 10.
(With agency inputs)