By IANS,
Panaji : Goa’s small parties should come together under the Congress as too many outfits end up dividing society further, says state party chief Subhash Shirodkar, batting for a two-party system.
“I am only waiting for a signal from my national leadership. I am very much interested in starting a two-party system in Goa. Too much energy is wasted with these multiple small parties,” Shirodkar told IANS at his residence.
The state’s intrinsically fractured politics is often marked by small political groups waging battles with one another. Goa went to the polls last month in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections.
The state party chief said there weren’t too many dissimilarities between parties like the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the regional Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), though the latter has been the Congress’ arch rival for nearly two decades.
“If you look at it, there are very few differences between parties like the NCP and the Congress. And the MGP is much closer to us than the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). We should come together for the sake of Goa,” Shirodkar said.
“Smaller parties often cater to caste, religion and other population groups and end up further dividing society. All of them need to merge into national parties for the benefit of Goa,” Shirodkar said.
He said the BJP would continue to be the Congress’ principal opposition party.
Goa’s Congress-led alliance government includes partners like the MGP, NCP, an unattached legislator and an independent. Led by Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, it has rarely seen a week without a political squabble between the coalition partners.