Goa polls: Cong in talks with NCP, MGP

Panaji: The Congress is  holding talks for a prospective alliance with the NCP,  Goa Forward Party (GFP)  and the Maharashtrawadi  Gomantak Party (MGP)  for the Goa Assembly elections, due early next year, a  Congress office-bearer said  on Monday.

AICC Goa desk incharge  Dinesh Gundu Rao told reporters all these parties are  of the view that Goa needs  to be rid of a “corrupt and  communal” government  led by BJP.

“The main aim of this  alliance, if it materialises,  will be to give a stable government in Goa for five  years,” he said.

The GFP and the MGP  had been part of the BJPled government for some  time in the last five years.

Underlining Congress’  strategy for the elections,  Rao said his party is open  for a tie-up with the people  who understand Goa, belong to the soil and understand the Goan culture and  community.

Rao, however, said, the  Congress did not want  to repeat the mistakes it made in the 2017 polls and  said his party wanted to  achieve a “proper alignment” before finalisation  of an alliance.

Alignment with likeminded parties was crucial  for an alliance, he said.

The Congress had, in 2017, refused to enter into  an alliance with the GFP.  In the 2017 Goa Assembly polls, Congress had won the highest 17 seats in the  40-member House restricting the BJP at 13. -(PTI)