MLA Venzy Viegas is the pick of Aam Admi Party (AAP) as the INDI alliance candidate from the South Goa Lok Sabha constituency for the approaching polls, the party announced on Tuesday. The decision of AAP clashes with that of the Indian National Congress (INC), which has also positioned its' sitting MP from the same constituency.
"The last meeting of the INDIA alliance was held 30 days back, but after that Congress leaders became busy. That is why the AAP decided to field the party leader as its South Goa candidate," AAP's state unit president Amit Palekar told the media personnel.
The fielding of Viegas also indicated that his candidature was not discussed with Congress.
He clarified that Viegas is the nominee of the INDIA alliance Palekar also appealed to other parties in the Opposition to support Viegas, the sitting MLA from the Benaulim constituency.
South Goa is one of the two Lok Sabha seats in Goa currently represented by Francisco Sardinha of Congress.
In the 2019 general elections, Elvis Gomes of AAP finished third by bagging 20,891 votes behind Sardinha and Narendra Sawaikar, who contested on the BJP ticket.
South Goa constituency has remained more or less loyal to Congress but the 2019 assembly elections changed the political landscape, with BJP winning 12 of the 20 assembly segments and Congress two.
During his visit to Goa in January, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal had said that his party was discussing a Goa seat as a part of the INDIA alliance.
"Whatever discussion that takes place, do vote for the INDIA alliance candidate in the Lok Sabha elections," the Delhi CM had said while addressing a public meeting in the Benaulim assembly segment.
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