from daijiworld's special correspondent (MB)
Panaji, Apr 19: The Nationalist Congress Party is ready to fight the elections on its own strength should the Congress continue to dilly-dally on a concrete alliance strategy with NCP during the ensuing Assembly election.
In a press note, NCP spokesman and general secretary Surendra Furtado pointed out that there was no question of compromise on the ten seats demanded by the NCP and reiterated that it would forge an alliance with like-minded secular parties should Congress cold-shoulder its proposal.
He said the the announcement by Congress leaders at the recent Fatorda meeting highlighted the chaos and infights within that party and therefore reiteirated that NCP was the best choice for a victory.
He said that the declaration by Congress leaders that they were ready to allocate five seats for NCP was a joke since the party has been demanding ten seats from a logical angle right from day one.
The argument by chief minister and local Congress president that the Congress would notch 35 seats was a Congress dream, which wwould leave them daydreaming for eternity. If the Congress is certain of 35 seats why is the Congress talking of seat sharing arrangement with NCP, he queried.
He challenged any single party to get a majority on its own and reminded the Congress top brass the fate of the party during the recent Lok Sabha by-elections elections in Maharashtra.
It is no secret that Congress depends on NCP for a thumping majority. If Congress is pressured by its party members to restrict the allotment of seats to NCP it will sound the death-knell of the Congress, he predicted.
This is the writing on the wall, he added.