Panaji, Feb 6 (IANS): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced its first list of 22 candidates for the March 3 assembly polls in Goa. The list includes five Christian candidates.

The list was issued late Sunday by the BJP High Command in New Delhi and later relayed to the state headquarters in Panaji.

The five Christian candidates are Francis D'Souza (Mapusa), Michael Lobo (Calangute), Carlos Almeida (Vasco), Mathany Salhanha (Cortalim) and Glenn Ticlo (Aldona).

There are no other surprises in the list, most of which comprises sitting legislators, with the exception of Govind Parvatkar (Porvorim), Rajendra Arlekar (Pernem), Pramod Sawant (Sanquelim), Vishwajeet Rane (Poriem), Satyavijay Naik (Valpoi) and Subhash Naik (Cuncolim).

Party sources said the inclusion of minority candidates in the list was reflective of the party's policy of reaching out to the considerably high minority segment in Goa, which has a 26 percent Christian population and about seven percent Muslims.