Goa Cong says talks on with AAP, claims support from MGP

Congress claimed on Wednesday that talks were already underway with the Aam Aadmi Party for obtaining support for government formation in Goa if there was a hung assembly.

Counting of votes following the February 14 assembly elections is set to start on Thursday morning.

State Congress chief Girish Chodankar told reporters that AAP leaders were 'already in talks with Congress leaders'.

AAP leaders including the party's chief ministerial candidate Amit Palekar were not available for comments.

"AAP has said that under no circumstances it will support the BJP," Chodankar said, claiming that the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party too will support Congress.

"The MGP has been badly betrayed by the BJP so often. A senior leader like Sudin Dhavalikar was humiliated and thrown out of the cabinet. There is no way the MGP will go with the BJP," he said.

The BJP could form government in Goa in 2017 only with the backing of the Goa Forward Party and MGP, but later it 'tried to finish off these parties', Chodankar alleged.

The Congress leader expressed confidence that his party will win the Goa elections.

"The fight was never between Congress and the BJP. The contest was between Old and New Congress," he quipped.

By 'old' and 'new' Chodankar apparently meant the Congress leaders who crossed over to the saffron party after 2017, and those who are presently with the Congress.

The 'New Congress' will win because it is in the hearts of people, he added.