Panaji, Apr 15 (PTI) The Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP) on Monday said it is ready to ally with the Congress for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections if it works to scrap the Mhadei project and demolishes illegal slums in the state.
The Congress had appealed to the RGP to withdraw its candidates from the fray and support the INDIA bloc.
The Congress has already announced the names of former Union minister Ramakant Khalap and Viriato Fernandes as candidates for the North and South Goa Lok Sabha seats.
Addressing a press conference here, RGP Chief Manoj Parab said the party is ready for “seat sharing” with the INDIA bloc if it is ready to fulfil its conditions about the Mhadei river, illegal slums and People of Goan Origin Bill.
“The RGP will offer support to the INDIA bloc but on the condition that it works towards scrapping the Kalasa-Bandura project on the Mhadei river and adds in its state manifesto that the river will remain with Goans,” he said.
The Congress high command should give an assurance that the government in Karnataka will not allow diversion of water from the river, he said.
Parab further said that the party should also assure that illegal slums in the state will be demolished and policies will be drafted to check the influx of migrants.
The RGP leader demanded that the INDIA bloc accept the Person of Goan Origin (POGO) Bill.
The RGP has been demanding that all Goans who were born or whose family members were born in Goa before 1961, when the state was liberated from Portuguese rule, should be declared as āPeople of Goan Originā and should be given priority in the government sector for employment and other purposes.
RGP MLA Viresh Borkar had tried to table the bill in the House, but other parties, including Congress, rejected it.
“If they don’t accept the POGO Bill, the Congress should define who is Goan according to them,” Parab said.
Parab said that the RGP will wait for the response from INDIA Alliance till April 20.
Goa will go to polls on May 7, and the counting of votes will be held on June 4. PTI RPS ARU
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