MARGAO
In an interesting development, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has decided to strengthen its base in the Congress stronghold of Nuvem.
NCP state president Jose Philip D’Souza, while underlining the need for secular forces to come together in the coming election, has asserted that the Congress should not take like-minded parties for granted.
On the eve of the constitution of the Nuvem block committee, Jose Philip said that NCP was also a national party, which works for the welfare of the people.
The sudden decision of the NCP to constitute the Nuvem block has come as a surprise, but Jose Philip said the party will strengthen its presence in other constituencies as well.
The decision has come against the backdrop of the recent visit of Congress observers to Goa, including AICC Goa desk in-charge, Dinesh Gundu Rao.
That Jose Philip was clear in saying that the Congress should not take like-minded parties for granted indicates that the principal opposition did not take the Sharad Pawar-led party into the scheme of things.
“We are aware that all the like-minded parties should come together to jointly fight the 2022 election, but the Congress does not know to respect other parties. We are also a national party and have every right to prepare for the ensuing election,” he added.
Jose Philip and party lone MLA Churchill Alemao know how the Congress kept them waiting till the last moment in the run up to the 2017 Assembly election before refusing to form an alliance.
Jose Philip was clear in saying that any alliance between the Congress and like-minded parties should come five-six months before the election and not on election eve. “A pre-poll alliance should be forged in advance so that candidates can start their work in their constituencies,” he added.
When asked whether the NCP has set its eyes on Congress-turned-BJP MLA Wilfred D’Sa as its candidate for the Nuvem seat, Jose Philip shot back, “Let us not talk of candidates right now. We have decided to constitute the Nuvem block as part of the drive to strengthen the party ahead of the 2022 election.”
