Daijiworld Media Network - Goa (MB)
from special correspondent

Panaji, Sep 30: Congress president Sonia Gandhi will take the final decision on the party's candidate for the Lok Sabha by-poll in the constituency of South Goa (Mormugao), after considering views of local leaders, a senior Congress leader said here. "Everyone has a right to seek the ticket but the final decision will be taken by the party president," AICC general secretary and Goa desk in-charge B K Hariprasad said. 

The Congress in the state is abuzz with the ticket issue as former Congressman and Save Goa Front (SGF) party president Churchill Alemao has put forth a claim for it.

Alemao is seeking the ticket for his daughter Valenca, who intends to make her political entry with the by-poll.

"Everything will be decided after considering all the reports from the state unit and leaders...nothing is decided at the moment," Hariprasad said.

"Congress doors are open to everybody who believes in party ideology and leadership of Sonia Gandhi," added Hariprasad, who was recently appointed Goa state incharge replacing Margaret Alva.

He is currently touring Gujarat and is yet to visit Goa after taking over the charge.

Meanwhile, Alemao, who is a minister in the Congress-led state government, has said his daughter will contest the Lok Sabha election on the Congress ticket.

He said she will join the party before staking a claim for the ticket.

"Narayan Rane (Maharashtra minister who shifted to Congress from Shiv Sena) was given ticket the very next day of his joining Congress," he pointed out.