Talks between Cong-NCP over alliance still inconclusive: Willy

Panaji, May 7 (UNI) After its success in the recently concluded Panchayat elections in Goa, the NCP has appealed to the Congress to concede its proposal for nine seats against its earlier demand for ten seats.

State NCP president and Deputy Chief Minister Wilfred De Souza today told mediapersons here that a majority of his party's followers had gained an upper hand in the Panchayat polls by claiming 10 Assembly seats and hence the Congress should concede its demand in its own interest.

The party gave up its claim for Cortalim constituency after the prospective candidate told party leader and Union Minister Praful Patel that he may join hands with other parties if he were not given a ticket for the Assembly polls.

The Minister was here yesterday for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation through interaction with party workers and leaders.

The talks over seat-sharing, now on at the highest level in Delhi, were inconclusive, said Dr De Souza.

''If the Congress fails to concede, we have no other option but to explore the possibility of negotiating with other like-minded regional parties for alliance,'' he reiterated.

UNI