MGP to contest about 32 Goa assembly seats on own

Panaji, Apr 10 (UNI) The oldest Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party in Goa wants to go it alone in the coming elections to the State Legislative Assembly.

Informing this to mediapersons here today, party president Pandurang Raut said it may contest about 32 of the 40 seats and would give preference to the youth.

He has announced names of 17 candidates so far, including the five whose names he announced today.

He ruled out any truck with either the Congress or the BJP and even other regional parties, though MGP was the coalition partner in the erstwhile BJP government led by Manohar Parrikar and now an ally of the Congress-led Pratapsinh Rane Government.

''We are confident of achieving our dream of coming back to power in Goa once again on the plank of providing people with a clear policy, programme and progress with a direction,'' Mr Raut claimed.

The sole party representative in the Government PWD Minister Ramakrishna Dhowlikar, who was also present at the press meet, said the poor and the downtrodden in the villages are the party's strength.

UNI