Congress names candidates for six more LS seats

The Congress on Saturday announced its candidates for six more seats for the Lok Sabha election, including two constituencies in Goa and three in Madhya Pradesh.

The party has fielded former Union Minister and former Goa Deputy Chief Minister Ramakant Khalap from the North Goa constituency. Mr. Khalap will take on Union Minister and fivetime BJP MP Shripad Naik. Mr. Khalap had represented the Panaji Lok Sabha seat, now called North Goa, from 199698 on a Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party ticket. He later joined the Congress.

From South Goa, the Congress has fielded Indian Navy veteran Captain (retd.) Viriato Fernandes, dropping sitting MP Francisco Sardinha. Mr. Fernandes will contest against BJP candidate Pallavi Dempo, an industrialist.

The Congress also named candidates for Madhya Pradesh’s Gwalior, Morena and Khandwa seats. From Gwalior, former MLA Praveen Pathak will take on the BJP’s Bharat Singh Kushwaha.

Ramakant Khalap, Viriato Fernandes are its candidates from the North Goa and South Goa constituencies

From Morena, the party has named former Sumawali MLA Satyapal Singh Sikarwar against BJP candidate Shiv Mangal Singh Tomar. The seat was held by current Assembly Speaker and senior BJP leader Narendra Singh Tomar, who resigned as an MP after being elected an MLA.

It has fielded Narendra Patel from Khandwa against BJP candidate and sitting MP Gyaneshwar Patil.

The Congress also announced its candidate from the Dadra and Nagar Haveli Lok Sabha seat, which is reserved for the Scheduled Tribes. Ajit Ramjibhai Mahla is slated to contest the seat against the sitting MP and BJP candidate, Kalaben Delkar.

While the two Goa seats, Gwalior, and Morena in M.P., and Dadra and Nagar Haveli will go to polls in the third phase on May 7, Khandwa will vote in the fourth phase on May 13.