Express News Service
BELAGAVI: Even as the mood is upbeat in the ruling BJP and Congress camps in Goa ahead of the Assembly elections in the state, the TMC-MGP alliance is steadily consolidating its position as the polls draw closer. Two of the poll promises by the alliance like Yuva Shakti Card and Griha Laxmi Scheme which are aimed at supporting the youths and women financially, have evoked a good response in the coastal state.
If the predictions of some political pundits in Goa are to be believed, the TMC-MGP coalition may cut into the traditional vote share of both the Congress and BJP to some extent in the coastal state if it continues to gain people’s support in the next few weeks.
“The sops announced by the TMC-MGP alliance have been received well by a large section of people and many leaders believe the two schemes announced by the coalition may be the game changer. The TMC-MGP tie-up is currently gaining a good shape but its prospects largely bank on the candidates which it fields in fray, said political analyst Kishore Naik Gaonkar.
A noted leader of MGP, Sudhin Davlekar said, the TMC-MGP alliance is paving way for a ‘new dawn’ in the state which would be focused on good governance practices in the state. At the launch of Yuva Shakti Card on Sunday Davlekar said, the scheme is a tool that will empower the youth to become self-reliant.
Sources in TMC said the party had bolstered its position in Goa and the attempts made by some sections to project TMC as an “outsider” did not work as the party had no outsiders in Goa. The TMC-MGP tie-up was gaining strength and talks were in progress about seat-sharing between the two, sources said, adding that the MGP demanded nine seats but it would certainly get six to seven seats to contest.
A tussle in the BJP between loyal party workers and `migrants’ and the anti-incumbency against the ruling dispensation is something which may turn as an advantage for TMC-MGP alliance if the BJP leadership fails to put the house in order, source said.
Noted TMC leader Yatish Naik from Goa said, “There is a mounting anti-incumbency against the ruling BJP in Goa as the BJP government failed miserably to deliver. The two schemes which we have promised would help youth and women in Goa hugely. Already 2 lakh women have registered for Griha Laxmi Scheme and the Yuva Shakti Cards will give wings to the Goan youth who are keen to shape their lives.”
A conflict between loyalists and ‘outsiders’ in the Goa BJP with the party keen to field several candidates who recently migrated to the BJP has put the party in a spot. However, the party leadership is trying to iron out the simmering differences in the Goa unit, sources said, adding that the BJP would face the election confidently with an aim to achieve a majority to retain power.
According to political pundits, the Congress is yet to prepare itself for the big election in Goa , where TMC, MGP and AAP are expected to eat into the large Congress vote share in several of the 40 assembly segments. However, the Congress leadership is keen to field new faces to attract the voters to counter the BJP, which is also keen to have freshers in the fray rather than giving another chance to the sitting legislators, sources said.
