Chidambaram back in Goa for three days; is Congress-NCP alliance on cards?

Within a week of his first visit to Goa after taking over as election observer, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram will be back in the coastal state for three days from September 3, the party said on Thursday.

Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Girish Chodankar said Chidambaram will be arriving in the state, where assembly polls are due in early 2022, on September 3 for a three-day visit.

The former Union minister would be accompanied by AICC Goa in-charge Dinesh Gundu Rao as well as three observers Prakash Rathod, Mansoor Khan and Sunil Hanumannavar, he said.

Chodankar said during the visit, Chidambaram will meet Congress block committee members and also chairmen of election panels, and discuss organisational matters and poll-related issues.

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On September 5, the Rajya Sabha MP will be addressing the National Executive Committee meeting of the Indian Youth Congress, which is scheduled to be held in Goa, he added.

Earlier, the Congress leader, recently appointed as AICC election observer for Goa, was in the state on August 25 and 26 to take stock of preparations for the 2022 Assembly elections. 

Is NCP-Congress in Goa on the cards?

Meanwhile, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former Union minister Praful Patel also landed in Goa on Thursday to prepare the party Goa assembly elections and meet the party workers to strategise for elections.

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Speaking to the media persons, Patel said they have informed the Congress party about the alliance in the state informally and are waiting for the final word.

“We have spoken to the Congress informally and we have indicated that we have been in alliance in past in Goa together and it would be better and in the interest of the overall politics in Goa that all like-minded parties like Congress, NCP should work together and have an alliance like in the past,” Patel told a press conference.

“I have met Vijai Sardesai (leader of the Goa Forward Party) and he has also told me that he is also waiting to hear from the Congress party. Let us see now what happens. I do not want to comment beyond this. It is important that all political forces who are like-minded should come together as soon as possible in the interest of the state and politics of Goa,” Patel said.