Congress constitutes 14-member Goa election committee

New Delhi, Nov 16 (IANS) The Congress party on Tuesday constituted 14-member election committee for Goa ahead of assembly polls due in the state in early 2022.

State Congress president Girlish Chodankar has been appointed chairman of the committee while other members are AICC In-charge Dinesh Gundu Rao, EX CMs Pratap Singh Rane, Francisco Sardinha and Digambar Kamat along with Pramod Salgaonkar, R.K. Khalap and M.K. Shaikh.

The Congress in Goa is trying to forge an alliance and is in talks with the Nationalist Congress Party, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and Goa Forward Party to take on the BJP.

All India Congress Committee secretary in-charge of the coastal state Dinesh Gundu Rao said on Monday, "(We are) in discussion with NCP, MGP, Goa Forward. They are in discussion with us. All of them are feeling that this BJP government has to go. But ultimately an alliance requires proper alignment, but that has to play out properly."

In the run-up to the 2017 state Assembly polls, the Congress had a loose understanding with several independent candidates who eventually supported the BJP which formed the government.

Rao also said that the Congress continues to be the main opposition party in the state, stating that the party was also ready to contest polls in all 40 Assembly seats if need be.

In last assembly elections, the Congress won 15 seats but 10 MLAs defected to the BJP and later former CM Luizinho Falerio quit to join TMC.