‘GFP will conduct membership drive to expand presence’

Panaji: Goa Forward Party (GFP) held its state executive committee meeting on Friday where the party, which has just one seat in the 40-member house, decided to expand its presence in the remaining 39 assembly constituencies.
While the party remains in alliance with Congress, GFP has decided not to let the alliance restrict its expansion plans.
“Our state executive, which met today at Goemkar Ghor, resolved to strengthen the party in all constituencies while exposing the government of Goa’s incompetence and corruption that’s hitting Goans hard,” said GFP president Vijai Sardesai. “We reiterated our resolve to always stand by Goans.”
Sardesai described the meeting as a routine event and added that the party will be launching a membership drive in the coming weeks.
“We have decided to go all out in all the constituencies and build the organisation,” said Sardesai.
Right now the party has a limited presence in six to seven constituencies where it has contested elections. However, GFP runs the risk of losing its recognition as a political party if it does not increase its vote share in the next elections.
The party, that was born just months ahead of the 2017 state assembly elections, has repeatedly insisted that only a regional party could help protect Goa’s identity, culture and interests.
GFP fought the recent assembly elections as an alliance partner of Congress. But with the latter facing an internal rebellion and struggling to don the mantle of principal opposition party, Sardesai has emerged as the loudest, and often sole, opposition voice.
“We will expose this government’s misdeeds. We will soon start a membership drive and form various wings of the party. The student’s cell has been reactivated recently,” said Sardesai.