Goa Forward chief says patience has limits as merger discussions remain unresolved
MARGAO
Welcoming Congress Goa Desk In-charge Manikrao Thakare’s statement that the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee and the party high command would decide on a merger or alliance with the Goa Forward Party, GFP chief Vijai Sardesai on Tuesday urged the Congress to conclude the discussions within a fixed timeframe.
Addressing the media, Sardesai said the Congress should set a clear timeline for initiating and completing the dialogue. “Discussions should not continue endlessly while elections take place in the State. Other non-BJP parties are also watching, and they understand the Congress’ tendency to prolong discussions through committees and consultations up to the high command level,” he said.
Sardesai also cautioned Congress leaders against invoking the party high command in a manner that could intimidate regional parties, saying the people of Goa constituted the GFP’s “high command”.
“We welcome Thakare’s statement calling for discussions between the Congress and Goa Forward. At the same time, we expect concrete proposals from the Congress leadership. We have deferred our political plans after being advised not to act in haste, but patience cannot be indefinite. The discussions should be time-bound,” he said.
Claiming that no Congress leader had denied receiving the GFP’s merger proposal, Sardesai said the regional party had been pursuing the matter since 2022.
“When we were in the Opposition, we were prepared to merge with the Congress. During Amit Patkar’s tenure too, we made the proposal. Since 2022, I have done everything possible, but there has been no outcome,” he said.
Stressing the need for Opposition unity ahead of the next Assembly elections, Sardesai said parties opposed to the BJP must work together. “We have to score a goal in the coming election to make Goa BJP-free,” he added.
Yuri was part of GFP for two years
Meanwhile, Sardesai reminded Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao that he had joined the Goa Forward Party when it aligned with the BJP to form the government in 2017.
Responding to Alemao’s recent remarks about parties that had aligned with the BJP in the past, Sardesai said the public was equally aware that the Opposition leader had been associated with the GFP during its tenure in government between 2017 and 2019. “Yuri undertook development works in Cuncolim with the support of the Goa Forward Party. He left the regional party after the BJP government dropped us from power,” Sardesai alleged.
