MARGAO
Goa Forward president Vijai Sardesai neither confirmed nor denied talks of merger with the Gongress party, only saying the regional party will deliberate on the issue if a merger proposal comes from the Congress High Command.
That Sardesai neither denied nor confirmed the speculations on the Goa Forward merger into the Party has further fueled speculations that the regional party is open for discussions with the Party High Command on all issues on opposition unity, including coming together of the parties.
The Goa Forward party Chief, however, called for efforts to bring the anti-BJP forces under one banner to fight against the BJP and not celebrate the decimation of the Congress party post-2022 polls and the recent defections from the national party.
Saying the Goa Forward is firmly rooted in the state and will leave no stone unturned to unite all forces to take on the BJP, Sardesai said the regional party is not into politics to occupy the space of the Congress party or any other party.
In an obvious reference to the entry of new parties in the state and the recent statements made by some political parties, virtually urging Goans to reject the Congress for the spate of defections, Sardesai said instead of eying on the anti-BJP space, and celebrating the state of the Congress party, all forces should join hands to keep the BJP at bay.
“I have not received any proposal from the Congress party nor the Party High Command is in touch with him on the issue of merger”, he said. Sardesai, however, said that the regional party will deliberate on the opposition unity as and when such a proposal comes from the Congress party.
He added: “The BJP had received only 33 per cent of the vote in the 2022 Assembly election, while the remaining 67 per cent went to the opposition. Just because the opposition was not united, the BJP returned back to power. It is high time the opposition gets united to take on the BJP’.
Welcoming the appointment of Cuncolim MLA Yuri Alemao as the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader, Sardesai said he know Yuri family for a long time now, exuding confidence that the young Legislator will keep the Congress flag flying high.
