PANAJI
In a major political development, the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and Trinamool Congress have decided to come together to contest 2022 assembly elections in the State.
Both political parties while announcing the pre-poll alliance have said seat sharing had been discussed but it would be finalised and announced after the TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee’s visit to Goa on December 13.
TMC leaders including Rajya Sabha MP Luizinho Faleiro, Goa In-charge Mahua Moitra, Kiran Kandolkar, Yatish Naik and Vijay Poi announced the pre-poll alliance with MGP.
"Because of BJP’s misrule, the people of Goa were looking for a better alternative. Our alliance is a wonderful blend since TMC has the fighting spirit and MGP has a long-rooted history in Goa,” said Moitra.
She said distribution of seats and formation of the executive committee would be declared by Mamata Banerjee during her visit later this month.
Earlier, MGP President Deepak Dhavalikar met with Moitra and Faleiro at the Goa TMC office in Panaji where he was felicitated and a board resolution detailing the blueprint of the TMC-MGP alliance was signed between the two sides.
Later at a news conference at MGP party office, Dhavalikar said his party's central committee has unanimously resolved to go in for a pre-poll alliance with the TMC as his party felt that TMC is the best suitable option to go with to defeat BJP.
Dhavalikar said the MGP has staked claim to 12 seats in the alliance and expressed confidence that MGP’s demand would be accepted by the TMC.
Dhavalikar hinted that the chief minister’s face of the alliance would also be finalised after January 15.
"Elections are one-and-half months away. Through a survey, we found that 50-60 percent of people have not decided whom to vote for. So, we have decided to give a good alternative to the people,” said Dhavalikar.
He explained that after talks with AAP and TMC, the MGP found that TMC was the best option to go with.
Dhavalikar added that an alliance with Congress would not happen as the Congress is non-existent in Goa.
Dhavalikar also accused the BJP of running a fake propaganda against TMC and labelling it as anti-Hindu.
“In Bengal, there are 70 percent Hindus and TMC has won with an absolute majority in Bengal. That means the majority of Hindu voters have voted for TMC in Bengal. It is BJP which has run a propaganda against TMC labelling it as anti-Hindu,” said Dhavalikar in an interview with Prudent Media.
“In the same way, the BJP had tarnished my image in 2017, he said.
TMC Vice President Luizinho Faleiro expressed happiness over the alliance.
“I am happy that Goans have decided to have a credible change. I am happy and proud that MGP, which is one of the oldest parties, has formed an alliance with TMC”, the former CM said.
The MGP, which has worked with the BJP in the past, has realised that joining hands with the TMC was the best thing for Goa and its people, he added.
