NCP open to alliance with Congress for Goa 2022 polls if 'respectable seat-sharing' agreed

Eyeing 2022 Goa elections, NCP on Friday, said that it was open to a coalition with Congress if a "respectable seat-sharing" was finalised. dressing a press meet, NCP's Goa observer Narendra Verma said that NCP h allied with Congress since its inception and wished to ally with or parties so that 'secular votes' do t get split. Currently, BJP is in power with 27 of 40 seats while Congress has just 5 seats.

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NCP: 'May ally with Congress'

"Today in Maharashtra, we are in an alliance. Since NCP's inception, we have been in alliance with Congress. When re is a respectful seat-sharing with Congress, we will ally. We don't want secular vote to get divided, benefitting someone else," said Verma.

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Praful Patel rules out Congress alliance

Earlier on October 27, NCP's Goa chief Praful Patel said that party will offer a n-Congress n-BJP option for people of Goa and will look to get toger with like-minded parties ahe of 2022 assembly elections in state. Ruling out an alliance with AAP, Patel said a post-poll anti-BJP alliance could be on cards.  NCP has just one MLA -  Churchill Alemao in Goa Legislative Assembly which is scheduled to go to polls in early 2022.

“I am sure NCP along with like-minded parties without Congress or BJP will be in a position to build trust of people of Goa. NCP will work in every constituency in Goa and try to build party in a formidable way. Certainly t with BJP or Congress as I said, last time, y (Congress) did t want to have an alliance with us. w also y are making anuncements that y will fight on ir own. We will definitely t go with AAP,” Patel said.

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CLP merges with BJP

In 2019, 10 of 15 Congress MLAs merged with ruling BJP, increasing saffron party's strength to 27 in 40-seat house. Congress, which h emerged as single-largest party after 2017 Assembly polls in coastal state, was reduced to five legislators.  A group of ten Congress MLAs in Goa led by Leer of Opposition in Assembly Chandrakant Kavlekar and nine or Congress MLAs, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant anunced that two thirds of Congress Legislative Party — eugh to avoid action under anti-defection law — has merged with BJP. party h cried foul that it h t been invited to form government in Goa after February 2017 Assembly polls despite it emerging as single largest party.

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