PANAJI: The Goa Suraksha Manch-Goa Praja Party alliance for the forthcoming state assembly election has developed cracks, with GPP president Pandurang Raut sticking to his demand to contest the election from the Bicholim constituency, and refusing to accept his replacement – Naresh Sawal.
GSM president Anand Shirodkar said that Raut, who had earlier given unconditional support of his party to the GSM, and was declared as the Bicholim candidate of the GSM-GPP alliance, is unhappy over replacing him with Sawal.
Sawal is the Bicholim candidate of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, which is also in alliance with the GSM.
“We have requested Raut to contest from any other constituency, and told him that the GSM will do everything to get him elected at the polls,” Shirodkar maintained.
Raut told ‘The Navhind Times’ that his party is still hopeful that it would get to contest in the Bicholim constituency.
“We are yet to sit for final discussions on the same,” he added.
Incidentally, the grand alliance of the Goa Suraksha Manch-Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party-Shiv Sena-Goa Praja Party will be announced on January 10.
