Congress helping BJP in Goa: NCP leader

Panaji, March 13: The

's keenness to reportedly end the 12-year alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party in

will help the

win the state's two Lok Sabha seats, an NCP leader said Thursday.

After jointly contesting two Lok Sabha elections on the trot, the Congress-NCP alliance is almost over. Goa will go to the polls April 12.

Both parties have already drawn up a shortlist of candidates for the North Goa and South Goa seats and are expected to make formal announcements this week.

With the alliance now virtually buried, NCP president Nilkant Halarnkar accused the Congress of brinkmanship.

"It does not pay to be arrogant. Our main opponent is the BJP. By not agreeing to an alliance, the Congress is helping the BJP win," he said.

Congress has reportedly named former chief ministers Francisco Sardinha for the South Goa seat and Ravi Naik for the North Goa seat.

For the NCP, Halarnkar is expected to be selected as the North Goa candidate, while Yuri Alemao, son of a former Congress minister, is likely to contest from South Goa.

IANS