PANAJI: The Goa Forward Party has decided to contest the 2017 assembly elections on its own strength and declined the Congress offer for forging an alliance.
GFP president Prabhakar Timble told this daily that the state executive of the party held an emergency meeting in which it was decided not to form an alliance with the Congress. He said, “The executive committee says the party is not happy with the seat allotment given to the Goa Forward by the Congress. The party strongly feels that we should not go for such an alliance with the Congress.” Stating that the decision of the state executive would be discussed with party mentor and Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai, Timble said the Congress declared its candidates while the alliance talks were going on.
“This means that the Congress has decided on its seats, and this kind of seat sharing in an alliance without studied discussion we are not happy with.”
He said that a final decision would be taken after discussions with Sardesai on Friday.
Sardesai has been camping in Delhi since Wednesday after Congress president Sonia Gandhi-led central election committee of the party offered to form an alliance and offered GFP two seats, which included Fatorda and Porvorim.
Sources said that Sardesai’s demand to let GFP contest the Velim constituency was shot down and the Congress announced Filip Nery Rodrigues as its candidates from that assembly segment.
While the Congress had offered Fatorda and Porvorim, it is learnt that Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte has distanced himself from the GFP. Khaunte along with Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party’s Bicholim candidate Naresh Sawal had supported Sardesai in forming the GFP. However, both have now parted ways from Sardesai.
The trio once took head on against the BJP government.