TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Despite claiming that they had the sanction of the high command to announce candidates for both North and South Lok Sabha seats, indications are that the Nationalist Congress Party is having second thoughts on the issue as NCP local leaders left on Wednesday to meet President Sharad Pawar in Delhi.
Both Congress and NCP have announced their candidates for both seats. The NCP leaders initially insisted on getting the North Goa seat as per earlier alliance agreement with the Congress.
“In Delhi, we are going to discuss the entire political scene. We have already announced the candidates, and now it is for the high command to give us a go ahead to file nominations,” NCP said.
The local Congress leaders on the other hand were divided on the issue. While party president John Fernandes is not in favour of having any alliance, its North candidate Ravi Naik is optimistic about the alliance, ahead of the April 12 polls.
Also NCP’s move to scout for like-minded regional political outfits’ support to fight the polls has also not borne any fruits till now. The party had formed three member committee headed by Halarnkar to explore the possibilities of garnering support from like-minded political parties who may not be contesting the parliamentary polls.
Party sources say that regional outfit like United Goan Democratic Party (UGDP), Goa Vikas Party (GVP) and Goa Su-Raj party (GSRP) turned down NCP’s support for the polls, while GSRP has already announced their candidates for the polls.
