Team Herald

PANJIM: Congress party, upbeat about its chances to form the government, on Sunday said that party is ready to forge post-poll alliance with any anti-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) front as it welcomed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), MGP and Trinamool Congress (TMC) to join the force.

Speaking to media, All India congress committee (AICC) Goa desk in-charge Dinesh Gundu Rao said that Congress is ready to go for post poll alliance, if need arises, with any anti-BJP forces. “We welcome AAP, MGP and TMC to join us…to be part of the

Congress-led government but the final decision has to be taken by their leaders,” he said.

The statement comes a day after the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi held a review meeting with senior members from Goa to discuss post-poll strategies ahead of the counting day on March 10.

Congress, which contested on 37 assembly seats, fought the recently held election in alliance with Goa Forward Party (GFP).

In a bid to ensure there is no repeat of the debacle of 2017, when the party despite emerging as the single largest party, lost out to the BJP in forming the government, Rao said that the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader will be elected within minutes of poll results are declared. “We will stake claim for government formation on that very day of March 10,” he said.

Rao also said that party is relieved with the fact that all those who use to pressurize leaders for CLP posts, are out of party fold.

Goa election in-charge P Chidambaram and Rao will hold meeting with Congress candidates on Monday to chalk out post result strategies.