Says it is the only way to dislodge BJP
the goan I network
MARGAO
Commenting on Goa Pradesh Congress Party (GPCC) President Luizinho Faleiro’s appeal to Congress probable candidates to start working in the constituencies and not be unduly perturbed by talks of alliance, NCP state unit Chief Jose Philip D’Souza said Faleiro too is equally aware that a division in the secular vote will only help the BJP to retain power in the state. “Can you dislodge the BJP if there’s no alliance of like minded parties such as the Congress, NCP, Goa Forward party and others. There will be division of vote if all these parties field candidates,” he said, while hoping that better sense will prevail in the Congress camp.
Jose Philip’s comments comes against the backdrop of a group of Congress probable candidates calling on GPCC President Luizinho Faleiro, seeking clarifications whether the Congress will compromise on certain seats, where the NCP has announced their candidatures for the forthcoming assembly election.
Replying to a question, he said the NCP has identified the seats of Vasco, Benaulim, Cortalim, Nuvem, Navelim, Sanguem, Mapusa and Siolim to field candidates in 2017. “We have George Barretto as our candidate for the Navelim seat. We all know what’s going to be the result in Navelim if Faleiro, George, and Goa Forward party candidate, Cipru Cardozo contest the election against Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado,” he said.
While saying that the NCP has identified seven Assembly constituencies to contest the coming election, Jose Philip asserted that the party will not compromise on these seats. If there’s no alliance with the Congress and like-minded parties, the NCP will contest in all these seven seats,” he asserted.
Meanwhile, NCP national general secretary Praful Patel is arriving in Goa on November 3 and is expected to address a meeting at Mapusa. Jose Philip said Praful Patel and other NCP national leaders will discuss on the alliance with the Congress leaders in Delhi in a bid to prevent a division in the secular vote.
