Political families weigh down Cong’s second list
Family connections have made all the difference to scoring a ticket from the Congress in Goa with the second list released on Tuesday dominated by political relatives. Four of the seven names announced on Tuesday are close family members.
In the Alemao clan, Minister Churchill Alemao has managed a nomination for his lawyer daughter Valanka who will contest the Benaulim seat for the Congress.
Home Minister Ravi Naik has been equally fortunate in the ruling party’s ticket lottery striking a nomination for his son Ritesh from Madkai where he will take on the MGP–BJP alliance candidate Ramkrishna Dhavlikar.
Minister Babush Monserrate too has succeeded in bagging a Congress nomination for his wife Jennifer from his own constituency Taleigao. Monserrate has shifted to Santa Cruz, a constituency next door to accommodate his wife.
Also on the list are the Madkaikar brothers Pandurang and Dhaku who will contest from Cumbarjua and Priol. The Congress has renominated Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco from Curtorim in preference to MP Francisco Sardinha’s son Shalom and allotted the Siolim seat to Uday Palyekar.
With seven names from the NCP list and four more from the Congress still to be finalised, another round of family nominees is expected.
