Giriraj's remarks on Sonia spark row, Congress demands his sacking

"Had Rajiv Gandhi married a Nigerian woman and if she was not a white-skinned woman, would the Congress have then accepted her leadership?," he told journalists on Tuesday.

Various women leaders also attacked Singh, who is Minister of State for micro, small and medium enterprises, saying it reflected his racial mindset and attitude towards women.

The minister, who had courted controversies in the past with remarks during Lok Sabha elections like people opposed to Narendra Modi can go to Pakistan, also mocked Rahul Gandhi's absence from the political scene and likened it to the "missing Malaysian airliner".

"Imagine a situation, if Congress was in power instead of us and had Rahul been the Prime Minister, and if for some reason, the PM had disappeared for more than 47 days. Absence of Congress Vice President is similar to that of the missing Malaysian airliner that still has not been located,” he said.

“The same way the Congress leader was not present in the Budget Session. No one in Congress is ready to speak. This is unfortunate for the Congress and a joke for the country,” he added.

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NCP to take on alliance partner Congress in Goa LS polls

The NCP's announcement came hours after Congress short-listed its candidates for both the seats, shaking the long standing seat-sharing understanding between both the parties.

   

The North Goa seat has traditionally been contested by NCP, while South Goa by Congress.

   

"We have decided to contest both the seats. The formal announcement on the candidates is expected by March 19-20," NCP's Goa chief spokesman Trojano D'Mello said.

   

D'Mello, along with state desk in charge Dipak Kesarkar and party state chief Nilkant Halarnkar, met party chief Sharad Pawar and senior leader Praful Patel in Mumbai on Thursday morning.

   

The spokesman said, "The high command has allowed us to sever ties with the Congress and go ahead with contesting from both the seats".

   

Congress on Wednesday had shortlisted candidature of Ravi Naik (North Goa) and Fransisco Sardinha (South Goa), while the formal announcement is expected anytime from now.

       

NCP sources stated that local leaders have recommended names of Nilkant Halarnkar and Yuri Alemao, son of former minister Joaquim Alemao, to contest from North and South seats respectively.

(Agencies)

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