Has eyes on Lok Sabha results, new govt at Centre
the goan I network
MARGAO
Congress leader Babush Monserrate’s confidence that regional outfit, Goa Forward party will support the formation of an alternate Congress-led government in Goa may not be entirely misplaced given the close rapport he shares with the GF supremo Vijai Sardesai.
Sources in the Goa Forward, however, in private do not rule out the possibility of the regional party staying put with the BJP-led coalition in the event the National Democratic Party (NDA) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi retains power at the Centre. In fact, sources close to the Goa Forward Chief Vijai Sardesai said it’s too early to predict the political contours emerging in Goa unless the position becomes crystal clear in Delhi on May 23.
Sources in the regional party further pointed out that both the BJP and the Congress cannot form a government on its own in Goa after May 23, assuming that either of the main parties win all the four bypolls. “In such a scenario, both the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress will require the support of the other parties and Independents either to retain power or form an alternate government in the case of the Congress. The Lok Sabha election result may impact the politics in Goa and will decide the fate of the incumbent government or the
formation of an alternate government,” Goa Forward sources said.
The sources added: “Modi at the Centre again after May 23 may make the return of the Congress in Goa a difficult proposition, more so as the BJP may not simply allow its State government to collapse without offering a fight at a time when the national party appears out to return to power in states such as Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh.”
A Goa Forward leader close to the party chief and Deputy Chief Minister Vijai Sardesai has also raised the question whether the Congress party leaders are ready to do business with the regional party in the future. “We understand the sentiments of Babush Monserrate and some of the party MLAs who are anxious to form a government with support of the Goa Forward. But, we have not heard other Congress leaders, who had in the past vowed not to take support of the regional party in government formation, speaking their mind on the Congress-Goa Forward tie up,” the Goa Forward leader said, adding ‘let us wait and watch the unfolding political developments at the Centre and in Goa on May 23’.
Presently, Goa Forward chief and Deputy Chief Minister Vijai Sardesai along with his two ministerial colleagues Jayesh Salgaonkar and Vinoda Paliencar are presently holed up in Israel on a private visit before they all head to Canada to attend the convocation ceremony of Sardesai’s daughter.
While the results of the Lok Sabha election and the four bypolls will be out on May 23, the three Goa Forward ministers will be holidaying abroad and are set to return home only on May 26.
Durgadas to represent Goa Forward
at NDA dinner in Delhi
MARGAO: Goa Forward party vice-president Durgadas Kamat will represent the regional party at the dinner hosted by BJP National president Amit Shah for the representatives of NDA partners in New Delhi on Tuesday.
With Goa Forward party supremo and Deputy Chief Minister Vijai Sardesai along with Goa Forward Ministers Jayesh Salgaonkar and Vinoda Paliencar presently holed up in Israel, the party chief is believed to have instructed Durgadas Kamat to attend the dinner hosted by Amit Shah in Delhi on Tuesday.
Sources said Kamat is leaving for the national capital on
Tuesday morning and will be representing party chief at the dinner which is hosted for the NDA partners.
The Goa Forward party is a member of the NDA after it had joined hands with the BJP to form the coalition government in the State after the 2017 Assembly election. In fact, Party chief Vijai Sardesai had attended the first NDA meeting which was presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the 2017 Assembly polls.
