Cong to field Monserratte in Panaji bypoll

The opposition Congress in Goa has decided to field its former minister Atanasio Monserratte, expelled from party in year 2015, in upcoming Panaji assembly bypoll which is likely to be contested by chief minister Manohar Parrikar.
The Congress has also short-listed its candidate for upcoming bypoll in Valpoi assembly constituency.
The Election Commission is yet to announce the schedule for the bypolls.
A senior Congress leader said the party hasdecided to pick a candidate for a Rajya Sabha seat from Goa after discussing the issue with like-minded parties.
The Rajya Sabha poll, scheduled to be held in the first week of June, was recently postponed by the EC.

"The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) began the process of finalising the candidates (for the bypolls) though the election process is yet to begin formally," the Congress leader told PTI.

In Panaji constituency, the Congress has decided to field Atanasio Monserratte, he said.
The Panaji by-election is necessitated after sitting BJP MLA Siddharth Kunkolienkar resigned to make way for Parrikar who is yet to become a member of the House.
For Valpoi bypoll, the Congress has shortlisted Satyavijay Naik and Roy Naik. The seat fell vacant after sitting Congress legislator Vishwajit Rane resigned to join the ruling BJP.
The CLP also held a discussion on upcoming Rajya Sabha election and it was decided to field a candidate who can enlist support of non-BJP parties, according to the Congress leader.

"The candidate that we will be fielding will not be from Congress. He should have the power to bring together all the non-BJP forces," he said without mentioning any names.