PANAJI: The Congress in Goa has started process of shortlisting candidates for assembly by-elections which will be held due to resignation of two MLAs of the party.
Speaking to reporters in the city on Thursday, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Chandrakant Kavlekar said process of selection of the candidates had begun and many leaders have expressed interest to contest the election.
However, party high command would take a final decision after consulting local leadership, he added.
Expressing confidence that the party candidates would win both the seats, he claimed that people of both the constituencies-- Mandrem and Shiroda-- would teach a 'lesson' to its former Congress MLAs.
The by-election will be held due to resignation of two party MLAs Dayanand Sopte and Subhash Shirodkar.
While Mr Sopte represented Mandrem constituency, Mr Shirodkar was an MLA from Shiroda constituency.
They had resigned as an MLA as well as primary member of the party and joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in New Delhi.
Interestingly, both the MLAs had defeated BJP candidates in 2017 assembly elections.