Rajendra Arlekar, who lost the Goa legislative assembly elections held in February; ex-Panaji MLA Siddhart Kunkalienkar, who ‘sacrifised’ his seat for Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to contest the upcoming assembly by polls; and two other former legislators Keshav Prabhu and Damu Naik; BJP Goa President Vinay Tendulkar, general secretary and former OSD to CM Sadanand Shet Tanawade, and treasurer Sanjiv Dessai were the shortlisted names. However only one would be selected to contest the RS election on June 8. The voting will be held in the Assembly Complex at Porvorim.

Party sources said union minister Nitin Gadkari, CM Parrikar along with other senior leaders in Delhi will decide the candidate for the polls. The final decision will then be communicated to the alliance partners – Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and Goa Forward Party, and three Independent MLAs. “The candidate will not only be popular but also hardworking and acceptable by all. We will not allow the Opposition to walk away with the cake,” a party official said.

The BJP is expected to hold a meeting with the higher ups in the coming week. The party MLAs, who met yesterday had conveyed to the CM that a present party leader should be chosen for the post. “We don’t want a non-BJP person to join the party and then get the status of being a candidate for the RS seat. We need a dedicated BJP person, “said one of them.

The Congress party is also discussing the name who would be a strong contender.

Team TNV