Goa Assembly Polls 2017: Congress announces 7 more candidates

Congress on Sunday released a list of seven more candidates for the upcoming Goa assembly polls, including nominees for two constituencies, which the NCP had demanded during the ongoing pre-poll alliance talks.

The Congress had last week announced its first list of 27 candidates for the 40-seats assembly. Congress General Secretary Madhusudhan Mistry released the list of candidates in Delhi.

With this, the party has announced its candidates in 34 constituencies. As per the second list, Congress will field Vijay Bhike from Mapusa, Joseph Sequeira from Calangute, Tony Fernandes from St Cruz, Fialho Xavier from Cumbharjua, Santosh Sawant from Mayem, Saifulla Khan from Vasco and Edwin Barretto from Benaulim constituency.

During the ongoing pre-poll alliance talks with Congress, the NCP had demanded Vasco and Benaulim seats and even announced the candidature of Churchill Alemao from Benaulim and Jose Philip D'Souza from Vasco.

The Congress is still in talks with like-minded Goa Forward and United Goans Party for pre-poll ties. Goa Forward has asked for four seats, while UGP will contest on one.

All India Congress Committee General Secretary Digvijaya Singh will arrive in Goa on Monday, and is likely to address a press conference on January 17 to announce the fate of alliance with Goa Forward and United Goans Party.