The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Goa has decided to find a woman candidate for the South Goa Lok Sabha constituency as they were unable to finalize a male candidate from the shortlisted names. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant mentioned the party’s respect for women and the decision to include them in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Initially, five male names were shortlisted for the constituency, but two showed disinterest leading to three final names. However, the central leadership of the BJP could not reach a consensus on these three names, prompting the decision to consider women candidates for the seat.
Sawant highlighted the BJP’s commitment to women’s representation by mentioning the upcoming 33 per cent reservation for women in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. The Central Election Committee has directed Goa BJP to recommend women candidates for the South Goa seat along with the male candidates’ names for further scrutiny.
The process of selecting candidates, including women, will involve conducting surveys and scrutiny before finalizing the names. Sawant mentioned that the announcement of candidates, including women, might occur in the second or third list of candidates. Union Minister of State for Tourism Shripad Naik’s name has already been cleared for the North Goa seat by the BJP.
