Goa bypolls: Congress candidates Girish Chodankar, Roy Naik file nomination papers for Panaji, Valpoi

Panaji: The Congress candidates for Panaji and Valpoi constituencies on Friday filed their nomination papers for the bypolls scheduled on 23 August. [caption id=“attachment_3479499” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. PTI[/caption] AICC secretary Girish Chodankar, contesting from Panaji, was accompanied by the Goa desk in-charge Chellakumar, party state unit president Shantaram Naik and others, while filing his nomination. Roy Naik, son of former state home minister Ravi Naik, is contesting from Valpoi seat. Chodankar and Naik are pitted against Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and Vishwajeet Rane, both BJP, respectively. “This is an opportunity for the people to vent their anger against Parrikar and his government, which has failed on every count,” Chodankar told reporters after filing his papers. He said people were “frustrated” against Parrikar “who stole the mandate from the Congress to forcibly form the government despite the BJP failing to get the majority in Assembly polls this year”. The BJP had won 13 seats in the polls while the Congress 17, out of total 40 seats. However, the saffron party under Parrikar cobbled a rainbow alliance comprising two regional outfits and three Independents to form a coalition government, forcing the Congress to sit in opposition despite it having emerged as the single largest party.