Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress stitched a pre-poll alliance with BJP’s former ally Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) for the upcoming Assembly polls in Goa.

MGP today announced a tie-up with the Mamata Banerjee’s party. Addressing a press conference, MGP president Deepak Dhavalikar said their party’s central committee resolved to have an alliance with the TMC for the state polls due early next year.

The parties will take a decision on the chief ministerial face of the alliance later, he said, adding they have joined hands to provide good governance to people of the state.

“There is a wave against the BJP. People want a change and we will be able to form government in the state,” he claimed.

Dhavalikar said an impression was being created that the MGP did not have any option other than the BJP. The MGP severed its alliance with the BJP in 2019.

“We have always been criticising the BJP. We were in talks with all other parties like the Aam Aadmi Party, the Congress and the TMC,” he said, PTI reported.

In 2017 polls, MGP had won three of 40 seats in Goa Assembly and extended support to BJP to form the new coalition government. The regional party currently has only one MLA after two of its legislators joined the ruling BJP. 

Elections to Goa’s 40-seat assembly are slated to be held in February.

The Trinamool Congress, which is seeking to expand its national base, has been looking for a local ally for its electoral debut in the Goa elections next year.

The TMC was earlier seeking the support of Goa Forward Party, which snapped ties with the BJP earlier this year. However, the Congress party joined hands with the Vijai Sardesai-led party last week.