MARGAO
Exactly a week after the Goa Forward Party and Aam Aadmi Party stitched an alliance under the banner of Goa First to fight the upcoming elections, speculation arose on Sunday that the Congress and Goa Forward Party could return to the negotiating table to take forward their alliance for the 2027 Goa Legislative Assembly elections.
The development came after prominent Goa Forward Party leader Prashant Naik told the media that the public mood and sentiment were loud and clear that all opposition parties should come together to defeat the BJP in 2027.
Senior Congress working president M K Sheikh also told the media on Sunday that the Congress was not only willing and ready to open its doors, but also its windows, to like-minded political parties to unitedly fight the BJP in the hustings.
The developments came a day after All India Congress Committee Goa Desk in-charge Manikrao Thakare told the media, after a meeting of the party’s Core Committee, that the doors of the Congress were still open for the regional Goa Forward Party to continue its alliance with the Congress.
It was not clear how the Aam Aadmi Party leadership had reacted to the emerging political developments over the last couple of days, after party National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal stitched the Goa First alliance with Goa Forward chief Vijai Sardesai last Sunday.
Interestingly, while the two parties have vowed to take the Goa First alliance forward, a perception is gaining ground in political circles that while AAP has treated Goa First as a non-BJP, non-Congress alliance, the Goa Forward chief has repeatedly said
that Goa First is a platform for like-minded political parties to come together to fight the BJP in the coming elections.
GFP reiterates ‘Goa First’ and ‘united secular alternative’ stand
MARGAO: The Goa Forward Party (GFP) on Sunday came under the spotlight after conflicting statements emerged from the party leadership over its alliance with the Congress.
Senior party leader Prashant Naik indicated that the regional party was prepared to reconsider its decision to suspend alliance talks with the grand old party.
Naik told the media that the party would do what was necessary, keeping public sentiment in mind, and would deliberate on resuming talks with the Congress. His statement triggered speculation in political circles that the GFP could return to the negotiating table and revive discussions with the Congress.
However, GFP chief Vijai Sardesai took to social media to urge people to set aside all speculation until the party officially communicates its position. “The Goa Forward Party’s position remains clear: Goa First, and a united, secular alternative for the people of Goa. We remain firmly committed to bringing together like-minded secular forces to offer Goa a credible, inclusive, and people-centred alternative. Unity in the larger interest of Goa is not only our priority, it is our responsibility.
“Until the Party officially communicates otherwise, we request that any speculation as is on presently be set aside,” Sardesai said.
Sources said Sardesai is believed to have met Naik and other senior party leaders, including Dilip Prabhudesai and Mohandas Lolienkar, on Sunday. Though sources said the meeting had been fixed earlier this week, it assumes significance as Naik’s remarks came against the backdrop of the party’s earlier decision to keep alliance talks with the Congress in abeyance. Prabhudesai and Lolienkar, along with Naik, were conspicuous by their absence at the GFP State Executive Committee meeting that gave the go-ahead to the party to pursue an alliance with the Congress.
The three leaders were also absent from the joint press conference addressed by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Sardesai last Sunday, where the two parties announced their alliance.
Earlier on Sunday, Naik said that while the AAP and GFP had already taken steps towards coming together to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the public mood was in favour of all like-minded political parties joining hands.
He said the people wanted all such parties to come together to defeat the BJP and “free the people of Goa from harassment and mis-governance.”
Referring to the recent offer by Congress desk in-charge Manikrao Thakare that the Congress doors remained open for the GFP, Naik said the time had come for all parties to unite against the BJP.
On the suspended talks between the Congress and GFP, Naik said the regional party would deliberate on the issue and decide on the way forward.
“The Congress-GFP alliance talks are in abeyance, but now the regional party will deliberate and decide to resume the talks and discuss with the Congress. It will be done immediately,” he said, expressing confidence that the dialogue between the two parties would resume soon.
