Goa Cong awaits announcement of nominees for LS polls

Goa Congress leaders are eagerly waiting for a formal announcement of candidates for the two Lok Sabha seats in the state.
While the central election committee has already short listed names of Ravi Naik and Francisco Sardinha for North and South Goa respectively, the leaders within the party expect changes when the final announcement would be made by the parliamentary board.
State Congress chief John Fernandes said the final announcement of candidates for the April 12 Goa polls may be made any time now.
The state Congress unit has already decided to severe ties with long-standing partner NCP.
Congress sources said Ravi Naik, who is likely to contest from North Goa, has insisted that the ties with NCP should not be severed.

NCP has announced that its Goa chief Nilkant Halarnkar would contest from North Goa.

"A crisis has arisen for South Goa seat where sitting MP Francisco Sardinha is almost through in the race for nomination," a senior party leader said on condition of anonymity.
The ticket for the seat is also being demanded by young Congress MLA Aleixo Reginald Lourenco, who has been getting support from a group within the party.
Lourenco is definitely a winnable choice for the party but Sardinha may be the ultimate choice, the leader said.