SHOAIB SHAIKH | NT
Staff Reporter
PANAJI
The idea to form a ‘mahagathbandhan’ on the lines of the grand alliance that won the Bihar elections has virtually collapsed and the Congress party, which was at the centre of alliance, has pointed at the number of seats demanded by various parties as the reason for the fallout.
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Luizinho Faleiro, speaking to this daily, said that it has become a fashion for some parties to arm-twist the Congress party and ask for a specific number of seats. He said, “I must be a magician to be able to satisfy their demands and also keep the party’s interest, which is not practical.”
Party sources said that the recently launched Goa Forward Party (GFP) was keen on contesting 16 seats as part of the grand alliance. Francisco alias Mickky Pacheco had demanded a share of 15 seats for his Goa Vikas Party (GVP) in the mahagathbandhan and Jose Philip D’Souza, the state president of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), had during a press meet expressed the party’s desire to contest on eight seats.
Sources further said that apart from these, other parties calling for the ‘mahagathbandhan’ had their own demands. While the United Goans Democratic Party (UGDP) wanted to contest atleast four seats, Atanasio Monserrate has his eyes set on contesting the five constituencies of Tiswadi taluka – Panaji, Taleigao, Santa Cruz, St Andre and Cumbharjua.
Faleiro further said, “One party has asked for 16 seats and another party has already announced that they want eight seats and then there is another person demanding 15 seats. Out of 40, if they are given these many seats, what is left for the Congress MLAs.”
However, GFP president Prabhakar Timble refuted the claims and stated that the party has not engaged formally in any talks of mahagathbandhan. He said that there were no talks with the Congress party and, therefore, no seat-sharing equations had been worked out. “We would first want the Congress to come to the table and then the rest of the discussions. But the Congress party has not been interested,” he said.
Jose Philip D’Souza said that while the party’s state unit expects to contest on the seats that were contested during 2012, the final decision would be taken by the party high command. He said, “I have respect and high regards for the party high command and regarding the number of seats that we would contest in the forthcoming elections, the high command will take a final decision.”