Panaji, Sep 8 (IANS): After enduring the exit of 13 MLAs since 2017, the Congress will now opt for "candidates with character" during the 2022 state assembly polls, Congress working president Aleixo Sequeira said on Wednesday.

Sequeira, however, told reporters that there was no sure fire way to stop MLAs from hopping political parties once they are elected.

"The party might have erred when selecting candidates. That is why we will ensure that we will select candidates with character, who are not going to jump to the other side. That is one mistake of ours. In good faith we gave him the ticket, these ten people have jumped to the other side. So this is one of our mistakes. We will try and ensure that we will not repeat such mistakes of the past," Sequeira told reporters in Margao town in South Goa.

"To the best of my knowledge, there is no such mechanism (to stop MLAs from party-hopping). So what do you do? You select the person in whom you have the confidence, who you believe, his character will not permit him to jump to the other side. Who will stand by the party, leave aside the party, who will stand by the side of his voter. His voter has voted him on a certain platform and he will not let down the voter," he also said.

Overall 15 MLAs, including 13 from the Congress and two from the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party have joined the ruling BJP since 2017.

The repeated exodus of MLAs is expected to be a key issue for the assembly polls, which are scheduled to be held in early 2022.