TEAM HERALD

teamherald@herald-goa.com

PANJIM: After carrying on with the exercise of negotiations and re-negotiations for over a month the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP)  have finally come close to forging a pre-poll alliance. And if all goes well both parties are likely to a make their joint declaration in the next two days.

A source in the BJP camp, said 99 per cent the deal has been struck and announcement is likely to be made shortly. The alliance talks were not progressing as both parties could not agree on candidates for alliance seats.

However, it remains to be seen whether Sudhin Dhavlikar is completely with the alliance. According to inside sources, Dhavlikar has been forced into going with the BJP under pressure from his party. He, till the last moment, is closely in touch with Chief Minister Digambar Kamat.

Both the CM and Dhavlikar arrived in private cars at the former’s bungalow and were closeted for an hour on Friday afternoon. The possibility of MGP doing a volte face cannot be ruled out.

BJP spokesperson Vishnu Surya Wagh though did not comment on the progress made at the alliance talks, saying

“There was public demand that BJP-MGP should have an alliance. The BJP has reluctantly agreed to give some seats even in constituencies where it had willing candidates,” said Wagh. However, he declined to comment if  the deal was already clinched.

The MGP had been demanding that it be allotted 12 to 13 seats whereas the BJP was not willing to give more than four seats. However, it is now learnt that BJP has agreed to let go six seats and MGP's claim for the seventh seat was still under discussion.

None of the leaders of either the party was willing to comment on the progress made, highly placed sources said at a meeting held in Ponda on Wednesday night to discuss the nitty-gritty of the alliance.

After the two hour meeting, it was agreed that Madkai, Ponda, Priol, Dabolim, Quepem and Cumbharjua be allotted to MGP. However, there was no consensus on Cuncolim constituency as both parties staked their claims. The MGP has to win at least on three seats in the ensuing poll to retain their Lion party symbol.