AAP fields party leader from South Goa Lok Sabha seat, says he is I.N.D.I.A. bloc candidate

Panaji: The Aam Admi Party (AAP) on Tuesday declared the party MLA Venzy Viegas as the I.N.D.I.A. bloc candidate from the South Goa Lok Sabha constituency for the upcoming elections.

The AAP's move is likely to rile Congress as the sitting MP from South Goa belongs to the Grand Old Party. The fielding of Viegas also indicated that his candidature was not discussed with Congress.

"The last meeting of the I.N.D.I. 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 reporters.

He clarified that Viegas is the nominee of the I.N.D.I.A bloc.

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 I.N.D.I.A..

"Whatever discussion that takes place, do vote for the I.N.D.I.Alliance candidate in the Lok Sabha elections," Kejriwal had said while addressing a public meeting in the Benaulim assembly segment.