Rupesh Samant / Panaji --- Pioneer The two-month old Congress-led United Legislative Party (ULP) is all set to bite the dust in Goa. Temptation of victory in the bypolls has created a visible rift among these so-called "like-minded'' political parties. On Monday the NCP's Goa chief Dr Wilfred D'Souza sought to dissociate his party from the ULP. Dr D'Souza said he only respects the UPA at the Centre and no other alliance.
It may be noted that the Congress, the NCP, the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and the United Goans Democratic Party (UGDP) along with an independent legislator had come together with the common aim of countering the BJP in the State and the ULP was born. Things went smooth for this alliance till March 4 when President's Rule was imposed in Goa. This unique political combination led by Pratapsing Rane ruled Goa for almost a month before President's Rule. However, in the run-up to the bypolls in five constituencies, these political parties have realised that the alliance is not worth holding together. As a result, these "like-minded'' parties have developed independent strains of thinking and forgotten the commitment to give the BJP a combined fight. The bypolls will be held in five constituencies; the Congress wants to field its candidate in all five, the NCP in one, and the UGDP and the MGP four each. None is ready for a compromise, resulting in a clear clash of interests. "What kind of ULP are you talking about? The combination existed when a popular Government was in place. Now there is no legislature and there is no ULP," was UGDP's secretary general Anacleto Viegas' blunt reaction. Viegas admits that the ULP no longer exists. Congress leaders are not willing to buy Viegas' argument. While in private they admit a bleak future for the ULP, on record they claim the ULP is a force to reckon with. However it is an open question how far their claim is going to sustain with the party itself not ready for any sort of compromise. "We will field our candidates in all five constituencies. The high command has been informed about it and we are waiting for a response,'' stated Goa Pradesh Congress committee president Luizinho Faleiro said on Saturday. As if this mess was not enough, once a strong regional force and now a dwindling political force, the MGP, too has thrown its hat in the ring. Party leaders are looking at the bypolls as a golden opportunity to rejuvenate their party base. The MGP, which ruled the State for over 14 years, is now a dying political force with only one legislator in the State Legislative Assembly. Terming Margao, Taleigao, Poinguinim and Cumbarjua the party's strongholds, MGP president Pandurang Raut is sure of fielding party candidates in these constituencies. "We can't surrender these constituencies to other political parties in the name of a political alliance,'' Raut said. Goa seems to be an exception to the national-level understanding worked out between the Congress and the NCP. And the bone of contention is the Benaulim constituency. Micky Pacheco, former State Tourism Minister who got elected on a UGDP ticket and later shifted to the BJP only to resign two days later and join the NCP, is not ready to budge. The Congress too is rigid in its stand. Now both want to contest this seat. "How can the Congress field its candidate in this constituency?'' shot back Micky Pacheco. However, Pacheco, a sitting MLA, swears by the national level alliance between the two parties. --------------- Jai Hind! Carlos
