MARGAO: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Sunday announced names of two candidates to contest Zilla Panchayat (ZP) elections.
Cana-Benaulim deputy sarpanch Menino Fernandes alias Menino de Bandar will contest from Benaulim (reserved for OBC) ZP constituency while Vania Baptista will be party's candidate for Colva (reserved for OBC woman).
Speaking to reporters, NCP State president Jose Philip D'Souza said that the party has decided to contest the ZP elections scheduled on March 22 and had already shortlisted its candidates giving weightage to their winnability. He said that the NCP will field maximum candidates for South Goa ZP than in North Goa ZP where the party was still looking for winnable candidates.
Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao alleged that in the past he was always used by the Congress party and warned that he will now not allow anybody to use the NCP. "If Congress party wants to have alliance with NCP for next Assembly elections, they should declare it now. The tie-up has to be done, do it now and tell us how many seats will be given to us for the Assembly polls. We will not allow anyone to use us,” Churchill said.
On the occasion, four-time ZP Member Nelly Rodrigues and Sandra Fernandes joined the NCP.