AAP, Congress put up united face in Goa after seat-sharing pact
The Goa state presidents of the Congress and the AAP held a joint press conference on Saturday and said they would work together for the alliance’s victory
The Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Goa on Saturday put up a united face after the parties announced a finalisation of their seat sharing arrangement for several states including Goa for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
At a joint press conference on Saturday the state presidents of the two parties said that they would work together for their victory.
“The decision was taken in the interest of the alliance at the national level. Even though the decision to concede both seats in Goa to the Congress, is disappointing to the cadre of the AAP, we will work for the alliance candidate right from the booth level,” AAP state president Amit Palekar said.
“The Congress has also conceded seats to the AAP in places where the AAP is strong,” Palekar said.
State Congress party president Amit Patkar called on all like-minded parties who were willing to defeat the BJP to join hands and come together to support the alliance candidates.
This comes even as the AAP earlier this month had unilaterally announced the finalisation of party leader Venzy Viegas as the INDIA alliance candidate, a move that had left the Congress stunned.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the two parties had contested separately, but the Congress candidate won the south Goa seat wresting it from the BJP in what was a close contest while the north Goa seat was retained by the BJP.
Viegas remained unavailable for comment despite several attempts to reach out to him.
“Our primary aim is to defeat the BJP and the coming together of the two parties will help consolidate the vote and help defeat the BJP that used to win elections with just 36% vote. There will be some volunteers who may have some reservations, but Lok Sabha elections are different from state elections,” AAP working president Gerson Gomes said.