Salcete’s key political players, who have been constantly trying to occupy space in the Congress stronghold, have been closely watching over the birth of a new regional party Goa Forward floated by Independent MLA Vijai Sardesai. They know for sure that the new party will make a determined bid to make inroads in Salcete’s political ground, where as many as eight Assembly seats are at stake. While GVP supremo, MLA Mickky Pacheco was categorical in saying that the new party will not succeed in making any dent in the space occupied by the GVP, the UGDP leadership maintained that the fate of the new party will largely depend on its policies and programmes. On the other hand, former PWD minister Churchill Alemao, who had in the past led regional outfits, the UGDP and the SGF, was skeptical about formation of a new party when the time has come for Goans to unite and throw out the BJP-led government, reports The Goan
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GVP supremo & Nuvem MLA
Nobody can stop anyone from floating a new political party. It is good to have a new party and I feel that the Goa Vikas Party (GVP) will benefit from the birth of the new party. I feel the new party will affect only that party which the proponents of the new party had close association. But, I also feel that what is important for a new party is to win the trust and faith of the people. People will not accept any party if they realise that a new party has been formed because they could not get what they wanted from leaders of the other party. People will also not trust a new party when they realise that leaders of the party have connections with the Congress - right from Goa to Delhi.
I am just watching the fun as I am confident the new party will not affect me or the GVP. Give me some time and I will be soon out on the field as part of my preparations for the 2017 Assembly election.
UGDP leader
Let the new party first unveil its policies and programmes before the Goan people. There is disenchantment amongst the people of Goa against the BJP government. But, the new party seems not clear on its stand on the vexed language issue. One of the MLAs, who is supposed to be part of the dispensation, has a plan to give equal status to Marathi. This will not go down well with majority of the people of Goa. Hence, let the new party leadership clear the air. Forming a new party is fine, but it has to come clear on issues facing the State and its people.
As far as the United Goans Democratic Party (UGDP) is concerned, we had always advocated a new and strong regional force to meet the aspirations of the people. The UGDP is still a registered party though the party no longer has the Two Leaves symbol. We will soon have a meeting of the Presidium to take stock of the situation in view of the emerging political developments.
former UGDP and SGF supremo
Though I am not part of any political party, I felt there’s no point in forming a new regional party since the time has come for Goans to unite and come under one banner to throw out the BJP. Hence, I have decided to contest as an Independent from Benaulim or contest on the Congress seat if offered the ticket.
My experience after leading the UGDP and the Save Goa Front (SGF) is that people do not give a full mandate to take decisions. Winning one or two seats isn’t enough. You can do something only if people elect 10 or more party candidates. It is indeed not a joke to run a new party. I have nothing to say on the new party taking shape in the State. But, I feel that the people of Goa will unite behind good people to throw out the BJP.
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Reginaldo says new outfit will eat into Cong votes, Digambar skeptical
Salcete’s two Congress Legislators, five-time Margao MLA Digambar Kamat and his Curtorim counterpart, two-time MLA Reginaldo Lourenco had all along enjoyed cordial relations with Independent MLA Vijai Sardesai. The trio has been together on every political and social platforms since the 2012 Assembly election when the Congress was virtually decimated in Salcete. Both Reginaldo and Digambar, however, reacted differently as Sardesai launched his new political outfit Goa Forward on Monday. While Reginaldo was clear in saying that the new party will affect the Congress, Digambar said he cannot predict for the moment whether the new outfit will eat into the Congress vote base, especially in Salcete, reports The Goan
, Curtorim MLA
I am of the opinion that the new party will certainly affect the Congress party to some extent in the coming election. In fact, I have already alerted the Congress high command to take corrective steps so that the new party does not eat into the Congress vote base in the State, especially in Salcete. I have conveyed my views to the party leadership in Delhi and I will come to the media again if no corrective measures are taken to take the party in a certain direction. I am a congressman and I am not part of the new dispensation. I will take an appropriate call if my views and opinions do not find favour with the party leadership in Delhi.
Margao MLA
I do not know whether the new party will affect the Congress prospects or not. What I know from the announcement made by the new party is that the new outfit has a one-point programme of defeating the BJP in the coming election. The Congress party also shares a similar agenda of defeating the BJP as per the popular sentiments of the Goan people. I cannot say at this moment whether the new party will eat into the Congress vote bank. Let us wait and see.
