Goa: Parties formulate post-result methods; BJP, Congress woo MGP

India

pti-PTI

Panaji, Mar 8: Forward of counting of votes, Goa was within the throes of hectic actions on Tuesday as events acquired all the way down to formulating their methods preserving in thoughts doable post-poll eventualities with the regional outfit MGP getting wooed by the BJP in addition to the Congress, the 2 principal contenders of energy within the tiny coastal state which has a historical past of political volatility and shifting of loyalties.

For the report, each the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress expressed confidence about getting a transparent majority within the 40-member meeting, for which polls have been held on February 14 and votes will likely be counted on March 10, however their political managers have been busy readying their methods to keep away from any slip-ups of their quest for energy.

A day after the exit polls predicted a hung Meeting in Goa, the Congress centered on preserving its flock collectively and plans to shift all its candidates to a resort, a senior occasion chief mentioned. On the opposite aspect, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Residence Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi, whereas different senior Goa BJP leaders are planning to fulfill their state ballot in-charge Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai.

Senior Congress chief P Chidambaram mentioned talks have been on between leaders of his occasion and different opposition outfits in Goa forward of counting of votes to sew an anti-BJP alliance. “We are confident that the people of Goa have given us a clear, simple majority. I am more confident today than I was, say last week, because I have spoken to every candidate,” Chidambaram informed NDTV.

“We are willing to work with the other parties,” mentioned the previous Union minister, who’s All India Congress Committee’s election observer for Goa. “Our goal is to forge a non-BJP front and such efforts are going on in other parts of India. Why not make the same effort in Goa?” he mentioned. The Congress veteran’s remarks got here amid studies that his occasion leaders have been in talks with their AAP and TMC counterparts.

Chief Minister Sawant mentioned the central BJP management is already in talks with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Social gathering (MGP) to hunt its assist if the saffron outfit falls quick of some numbers to type the following authorities. Speaking to PTI, Sawant mentioned the BJP is hopeful of getting greater than 22 seats (as in opposition to the bulk mark of 21), but when it falls in need of numbers, “the party has also kept open the option of seeking the support of independents and the MGP”.

A senior Goa BJP chief mentioned they’ve designed a “fool-proof strategy” to make sure the occasion retains energy within the coastal state. He mentioned Goa BJP president Sadanand Shet Tanavade and occasion’s state basic secretary Satish Dhond will meet Goa ballot in-charge Devendra Fadanavis. Fadnavis and BJP’s Goa desk in-charge C T Ravi would attain Goa on Wednesday, a day forward of the counting. “We will not waste any time to decide our leader and stake claim to form the government,” one other BJP chief mentioned.

Apart from the BJP, the Congress, too, is wooing the MGP, the Goa’s oldest regional occasion which has dominated the state previously, to make up for any shortfall in seats. All India Congress Committee’s Goa desk in-charge Dinesh Gundu Rao on Sunday mentioned if his occasion falls in need of the bulk mark, it’s open to in search of the assist of outfits just like the Aam Aadmi Social gathering (AAP), the MGP and the TMC. Congress chief Michael Lobo on Monday mentioned they would come with the MGP within the authorities even when the Congress-GFP alliance manages to safe greater than 21 seats.

“The MGP has been abused by the BJP,” claimed former state minister Lobo, who quit the saffron party in January this. When contacted, MGP legislator Sudin Dhavalikar, who is the brother of party head Deepak Dhavalikar, appeared non-committal on supporting any party as this juncture and said they will take a call on an alliance after consulting their pre-poll ally the TMC once the results are out.

On the other side, Trinamool Congress’s Goa chief Kiran Kandolkar claimed his party will win seven to eight seats and ally MGP four to five, “after which we are going to discount for the chief ministerial submit, if any occasion needs our assist”. In the 2017 elections, the Congress had emerged as the single largest party winning 17 seats, but the BJP had pipped them to power after roping in the support of regional parties and independent MLAs. In the 2022 elections, the MGP joined hands with the Trinamool Congress, while the Goa Forward Party (GFP) entered into a pre-poll alliance with the Congress. PTI