TEAM HERALD
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MARGAO: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Tuesday unveiled its road map to expand its base in Salcete and down South ~ considered the stronghold of its alliance partner, Congress, which was decimated in the 2012 polls.
NCP leaders made no secret of its plan to tap the secular vote amongst the Hindus, Christians and Muslims, which had gone towards the BJP in the last elections. They asserted that the NCP will cover enough space in South Goa in the coming days and months to fill up the political vacuum created by last year’s Assembly results.
While the party’s top brass descended on Margao to open its district office at Gogol and conveyed the message that they have plans to take the party to the grassroots in South Goa. Insiders within the NCP admitted that the party has plans to play a bigger role in Salcete and down South, especially with the people rejecting the Congress in the district.
The party’s game plan appears simple: Expand the party base in Salcete and South, step by step and then position itself to stake claim for additional seats in the coming polls.
Party leaders in private made it crystal clear that the NCP will not be content with just Vasco and Sanguem but may stake claim for a couple of more seats where the Congress was routed in the 2012 polls.
NCP state observer Deepak Kesarkar tried to play down the party’s agenda in Congress stronghold, with the opening of the district office in Margao on Tuesday, saying Assembly polls are still far away. He, however, admitted that the party will build up its base in South Goa and would go all out to tap the secular vote, which had strayed towards the BJP in the 2012 polls. “The NCP would certainly try to fill up the vacuum in South Goa. The NCP and Congress are alliance partners and the latter should realise that a strong NCP will be advantageous for the Congress,” he said. He added: “We had a presence in South Goa, but due to some reasons, it was never tapped in the right direction.”
State NCP President Nilkanth Halarnkar, Vice-President Jose Philip, NCP Youth Chief Yuri Alemao spoke about taking the party to the grassroots in the district.
Says NCP leader Trajano D’Mello, “The secular votes of the Hindus, Christians and Muslim went to the BJP when Manohar Parrikar came as a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Parrikar is now exposed. We want the secular vote to return. As a secular party, the NCP will tap this vote. We will convince the people that the NCP is an alternative.”
NCP President Nilkanth Halarnkar told media persons that the party leadership has chalked out plans to take the party to doorsteps of the people of South Goa. He said that the party’s doors are open for secular-minded people, but hastened to add that nothing has been decided to field BJP MLA Vishnu Surya Wagh as NCP candidate for North Goa.
Jose Philip said the party is not late in opening its office in South Goa. He said the party has plans to build up its base from the grassroots level.
NCP Youth Chief Yuri Alemao said the party’s district office will be utilised to highlight the issues and problems facing the people of South Goa.
