Goa: Congress, NCP legislators meet post counting

Panaji, June 5: Newly-elected legislators of the Congress-NCP alliance will meet this evening to chalk out their strategy for staking claim to form the next government in Goa.

Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) spokesman and Rajya Sabha member Shantaram Naik told sources that Congress-NCP alliance, along with one independent (Vishwajeet Rane), was comfortably placed at 20, one short of the magic figure of 21 in the House of 40.

Mr Vishwajeet Rane, son of Chief Minister Pratapsinh Rane, has already pledged his support to the Congress.

Sixteen newly-elected legislators of the Congress, three of NCP and Mr Vishwajeet Rane (independent) will meet informally at 1900 hrs to chalk out their strategy, Mr Naik said.

''We are in talks with another independent, Mr Anil V Salgaonkar, to take us to the figure of 21,'' he added.

To a question on whether Congress plans to include Save Goa Front led by rebel Congressman Churchill Alemao and Babush Monserrate of UGDP into its alliance, Mr Naik said the Congress has no such plans as of now.

To a question on when the Congress-NCP alliance plans to meet the Governor and stake claim, Mr Naik said a decision would be taken in a day or two.

When asked about the Congress performance, Mr Naik said, ''We expected to do much better. Four of our stalwarts lost at the hustings. Otherwise, we would have reached the figure of 21 on our own. The loss of Jeetendra Deshprabhu (Pernem), Subhash Shirodkar (Shiroda), Assembly Speaker Fransisco Sardinha (Curtorim) and former chief minister Luizinho Faleiro (Navelim) was unexpected.''

UNI