TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
NEW DELHI: The Congress on Wednesday decided to defer finalisation of its candidates for the Goa assembly elections to early next week, after no success in striking the alliance deal with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
“We have offered them six seats, including three that they hold in the present house, but they remain adamant on seven seats. Talks have not broken down but there is still no finality and hence we asked the Goa leaders to return to the state to finalise other logistics and campaign,” a senior Congress leader said.
He said the party has more or less finalised names of 24 candidates as single names have been recommended for approval of the central election committee. The remaining names may be decided only next week before close of the nominations.
The party leadership has given a leeway to Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Subhash Shirodkar to accommodate one or two in case of any local understanding. Kamat has also been asked to ascertain the stand of an MGP (Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party) minister in his cabinet if the MGP is to tie up with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). “We, however, have no problem in his continuance if the MGP is contesting on its own and not in league with the BJP, the party leader added.
