Staff Correspondent
Port Blair, Mar 18: The Indian National Congress on Saturday finalized the names of Mr. Kuldeep Rai Sharma as INC’s official candidate for 2019 Lok Sabha Elections but the suspense is still on for the name of BJP’s official candidate.
Insiders in BJP told Andaman Sheekha that they were expecting declaration of name of Andaman’s BJP candidate today but due to sudden demise of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Gopalakrishna Prabhu Parrikar on Sunday the process was delayed.
While some BJP supporters are almost sure that Bishnu Pada Ray will get the ticket once again, some senior BJP leaders are confident that Vishal Jolly will get the ticket this year. In any case the contest will be interesting to watch, which will decide future of Andaman for next five years. Meanwhile, name of Mr. Sanjay Meshak has already been finalized by Aam Aadmy Party (AAP) and name of Mr. Ayan Mandal, grandson of Late Manoranjan Bhakta, former MP of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, was reportedly finalized by Trinamool Congress (TMC), headquarters, last evening.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands Lok Sabha constituency is the only Lok Sabha constituency in these Union Territory. In 2014 general elections, Bharatiya Janata Party won the constituency with 47.8 per cent vote share defeating Congress by a margin of 7 per cent.
In 2014, BJP’s Bishnu Pada ray secured 90,969 votes defeating Congress’ Kuldeep Rai Sharma with a margin of 7,812. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Trinamool Congress had also contested 2014 elections securing 3rd and 4th position. The last general elections were held between April 7, 2014 to May 12, 2014, in nine phases. The results were announced on May 16.
