Goa polls: BJP open for alliances

PANAJI, April 5: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at its national executive meeting which concluded here on Sunday may have seat adjustme...

PANAJI, April 5: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at its national executive meeting which concluded here on Sunday may have seat adjustments with friendly parties as its alliance with the regional Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) is finished.

Briefing the press here on Monday, BJP president Kushabhai Thakre informed that the party is prepared to go it alone during the polls. However, Information Minister Pramod Mahajan told the press on Sunday that the State unit of the party wished to contest the polls alone. He, however, added that the option of seat adjustments with the MGP is still open though the other party must take the initiative, he said.

Relations between the BJP and MGP soured after the national party refused to support a coalition government led by Wilfred D’Souza of the Goa Rajiv Congress, MGP and Independents after the Congress government led by Luizinho Faleiro lost its majority.

Mahajan pointed out that relations between the BJP and the MGP had broken down in 1995 when the regional party aligned with the United Front. Its MP, Ramakant Khalap, eventually became a law minister in the I K Gujral government.

The BJP’s strategy for the Goa polls will be formulated by the party’s parliamentary board in New Delhi. However, the party’s strategy for elections in Karnataka, Sikkim and Andhra Pradesh will be formulated at the party’s national executive to be held at Andhra Pradesh in July, Thakre said.