NCP rules out joint campaign with Congress in Goa

Panaji, May 17 (UNI) The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the coalition partner of the ruling Congress-led Government, has ruled out joint campaign with the Congress for the June 2 Goa Legislative Assembly elections.

Interacting with newspersons here today, state NCP president and Deputy Chief Minister Dr Wilfred De Souza said the party had decided to concentrate on its own candidates contesting from six constituencies.

''The arrangement with the Congress is only on seat-sharing and not any alliance for launching a joint campaign,'' he said, adding he could not guarantee the continuance of coalition with the Congress in the post-poll scenario.

He also ruled out truck with the United Goans Democratic Party (UGDP) on which former minister Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate was contesting from Taleigao after quitting the Congress.

Babush, he said, was the author of the infamous Regional Plan-2011 which was withdrawn following public uproar and this forced him to resign as Town and Country Planning Minister. Hence there could not be any support to him at all, he said.

The party manifesto, ''Vision-2007'', would be released on May 21 during a public meeting with senior leaders participating.

The party is contesting from Tivim, Mapusa, Sheolim, Saligaon, Vasco and Benoulim.

UNI