Notwithstanding the talks about forging an alliance with Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM), the Shiv Sena in Goa today announced three of its candidates for the upcoming state Assembly elections.
"The decision on alliance with GSM is taking time. We had submitted a proposal to GSM in writing on October 3. There is not much time left for the elections now," Shiv Sena Goa Chief Sudip Tamankar said while announcing the candidates in a press conference here today.
Sena will field former Mapusa Municipal Council Chairman Michael Carasco in Mapusa constituency, social worker Tulsidas Chodankar in Mayem and Nilesh Joshi in Curtorim constituency.
With this announcement, Sena became the second party after AAP to declare its candidates for the upcoming polls, which is due before March 2017.
Tamankar said Sena is willing to have an alliance with GSM but the delay in discussion on the seat sharing had affected party's (Shiv Sena) plans to announce its candidates.
"We don't want to go through a situation wherein GSM refuses to have an alliance with us in the eleventh hour leaving us scouting for candidates in the last minute. Sena has decided to work in all the constituencies and keep the list of candidates ready," he said.
Tamankar said rebel RSS leader Subhash Velingkar-led GSM has one-point agenda of having mother tongue as Medium of Instruction (MOI) and might go back on its decision to contest poll, if BJP assures to fulfill their demands.
"In this kind of scenario, I don't want Shiv Sena to face last minute hassles and remain behind in the elections," he added.
GSM-Shiv Sena had recently announced its in-principle agreement to contest Goa polls jointly after Velingkar had met Sena chief Uddhav Thackarey in Goa.
Thackarey had said the talks would continue after Diwali festivities.
"We are in touch with Sena chief Uddhav Thackarey. Even this morning we had talks with Sena leader Sanjay Raut and Thackarey over the alliance," GSM General Secretary Hrudaynath Shirodkar told PTI.
He said Sena declaring its candidates midway when talks for alliance are on, is not a good sign.
"GSM's central committee will discuss the current situation arising after Shiv Sena's declaration of candidates," Shirodkar added.
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