Congress-NCP alliance in Goa to be announced this week

The Congress-NCP alliance for the March 3 assembly polls in Goa would be announced this week, a senior Congress leader said today.

Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Subhash Shirodkar told PTI that the announcement would be made in Delhi, where senior leaders of both the parties are working out the alliance.

Shirodkar said that the seat-sharing formula is being finalised by the leaders of the parties.

He said that the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) is also being considered for the pre-poll alliance. However, the MGP leaders have rubbished it saying the party had not held any talks with Congress for a pre-poll alliance.

"We are holding discussion with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the alliance," a senior MGP leader said.

NCP, on the other hand, said that the announcement of the alliance is likely to be made on January 13.

"Congress is meeting to finalise their candidates on January 13. It is at that time, the announcement is expected to be made," NCP Goa state chief Surendra Sirsat said.

Goa has 40 assembly constituencies, which will go to polls on March 3.

While Congress-NCP and BJP-MGP are expected to fight it out in various constituencies, a strong opposition of regional parties is also being built up.