By Rupesh Samant
Panaji: With Goa Forward Party (GFP) president Vijai Sardesai returning to Goa after his UK visit, political observers are closely watching to see whether formal alliance talks with the Congress will finally begin.
During his visit to the UK, Sardesai, accompanied by GFP general secretary Durgadas Kamat, interacted extensively with the Goan diaspora. The Goan community in the UK is considered to have a significant influence on voting patterns in Goa’s Assembly elections, with many political observers attributing the success of the Regionalist Goa Party (RGP) experiment in the past to its support.
The Fatorda MLA, upon his return, once again raised the issue of dual citizenship, a subject that resonates strongly with Goans living abroad.
Sardesai also received an enthusiastic welcome from party workers and supporters when he arrived in Goa in the early hours of Saturday. Despite returning from an overseas tour, he has continued meeting people in his constituency instead of taking a break.
With Sardesai back in the state, attention has now shifted to the Congress, which has indicated that alliance discussions are likely to begin.
Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao, in an interview with Goa News Hub, had said that talks on a pre-poll alliance should commence without any delay.
Alemao and Congress MLA Altone D’Costa are currently in London to attend a series of community events.
The Congress has entrusted Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Girish Chodankar with the responsibility of leading the alliance negotiations.
The coming week is expected to be crucial in determining whether the proposed alliance talks move beyond public statements and begin at the ground level, or whether both parties continue to chart their own political course ahead of the Assembly elections.
