Congress holds meetings in Goa ahead of LS polls

Congress boosts coordination with INDIA bloc partners in Goa ahead of Lok Sabha elections, addressing local leaders' issues.

The Congress started holding internal meetings in Goa on Saturday to boost coordination with the INDIA bloc partners and to address the issues faced by the party's local leaders ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, its functionary said.

There are two Lok Sabha constituencies in Goa. While the South Goa seat is represented by Congress' Francisco Sardinha, the North Goa seat is held by BJP leader Shripad Naik.

The Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), both constituents of INDIA bloc, last month sealed a seat-sharing pact under which it was decided that the grand old party will contest both Lok Sabha seats in the coastal State.

Congress' Goa desk in-charge Manikrao Thakare arrived in Goa on Friday evening and started holding meetings at a hotel here this morning.

"Thakare is holding meetings with the local functionaries and leaders of the party," a local office-bearer said.

Mr. Thakare also met former State minister Vijai Sardesai, whose party Goa Forward Party (GFP) is part of the INDIA grouping. The other members of this alliance in Goa are AAP, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar).

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Mr. Thakare said discussion with alliance partners will continue.