BJP general secretary in charge of Goa Sanghpriya Gautam created a flutter early on Friday by asserting that the BJP had decided to contest all 40 assembly seats on its own. However, no sooner had the MGP approached the BJP top brass directly with a fresh offer in the afternoon, the latter decided to wait on its final decision till Saturday.

BJP's trouble-shooter Pramod Mahajan is rushing to Panaji on Saturday, the last day for filing nominations, while M Venkaiah Naidu is set to reach there on Sunday.

``We want to form a government at all costs in Goa and, therefore, do not want to take the risk of splitting votes with the MGP,'' said Gautam. The MGP apparently lowered its demand from 20 to 15 seats after Gautam's ``threat'' to go it alone. With BJP wanting to contest some 30 seats, MGP is likely tosettle for 12 or 13 seats.

State BJP leaders feel that after bagging 38 per cent votes in last year's Parliamentary polls, losing both seats in Goa by less than four thousand votes, the party was strong enough to come to power on its own. But the Central leadership did not want to take a chance this time which is why it was inclined to enter a tie-up with MGP.

The Congress won both seats in last year's polls, with BJP being runners-up and MGP candidates placed third. BJP feels it could wrest an initiative from the Congress if it joined hands with MGP.

The Goa electorate consists of 24 per cent Christians, who are in a decisive position only in seven or eight constituencies. The BJP having negligible presence in these seats, was ready to concede them to MGP. Similarly, the party had some other seats where it was not in very formidable position and could allow the MGP to contest.

``We want to come in a majority on our own - winning at least 21 out of 40 seats - and for that we would need to contestabout 30 seats,'' said Gautam. Registering a win in the Goa Assembly on the eve of the Parliamentary elections, the BJP hopes, would have a ripple effect in rest of the country as well.