PANAJI, Dec 23: The pre-poll scenario in Goa shows parties lacking confidence to face the people for the two Lok Sabha seats so soon after the 1996 elections and the faction-ridden Congress is worst shape with no takers for its North Goa seat.

According to sources, Congress' ex-MP Harish Zante has said ``no'' to the offer and former Chief Minister Ravi Naik and ex-PCC President Nirmala Sawant too are equally unenthusiastic. This is not surprising since the party lacks cohesion in Goa. Thanks to running feud between Chief Minister Pratapsing Rane and his deputy Dr Wilfred DeSouza, the party lost both the seats in the last Lok Sabha polls. With the war of attrition between the two leaders continuing, nobody expects the situation to change.

Goa sends two members to the Lok Sabha. Last time the Congress lost both the seats it held in 1991 polls. The two seats were shared one each by Ramakant Khalap of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and Churchil Alemao of United Goans Democratic Party. But the two who worked in secret electoral cooperation with each other in the last elections have now fallen apart after Khalap got berth in the United Front Ministry. While Khalap's renomination for North Goa is more or less certain, Churchil has already announced his candidature for South Goa. The Bharatiya Janata Party is meeting in the first week of January to finalise its poll nominees.The electoral scene is changing fast from what it was has been for the last seven elections. For a long time, the Lok Sabha polls in Goa witnessed straight fights between the Congress and MGP with both enjoying equal chance. While Congress won in the Catholic-majority constituency of South Goa, MGP nominees won North Goa seat in five out of past seven elections till 1991.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has been able to register its presence in the State Assembly with four MLAs in the last elections which it contested in alliance with MGP. However, it was not able to make much impact in the Lok Sabha polls which it subsequently contested on its own.

This time too, it will be basically a Congress-MGP battle in North Goa and Congress-UGDP fight in South Goa. The scene could change only if new alliance takes shape before the polls. But so far, there is little indication that major parties are interested in such alliances. Although smaller parties like Gomant Lok Paksh, CPI and CPM have limited influences, their teaming up with bigger parties can be useful. However, strong personality clashes among leaders have thwarted such attempts .

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.