Sharad Pawar-led NCP has fielded 16 candidates for the upcoming Goa elections.
The Nationalist Congress Party is attempting to make a comeback in Goa politics after not having a good run in the last state elections. The forthcoming elections on February 4 will be the party's next attempt.
The Sharad Pawar-led party has fielded 16 candidates. Its attempt for a pre-poll tie-up was rejected by Congress. NCP Goa unit president and former state Revenue Minister Jose Philip D'Souza is among the candidates.
"We expected to contest this election by forming alliance of like-minded parties. We had even submitted the proposal to Congress for that. But Congress was not in a mood to join forces with us," said D'Souza, who is contesting from Vasco constituency.
Former Congress minister Churchill Alemao, who was defeated in the 2012 polls, is contesting on NCP ticket from Benaulim constituency.
Mr D'Souza claimed that Congress' refusal to align with them has got NCP the voters' sympathy which will help them to win on at least five seats.
"People say... I don't say... People say that Congress has back-stabbed NCP. They have seen the progress the state has made under our rule and wanted Congress, NCP to combine forces," he said.
The Congress-NCP alliance had ruled the coastal state in 2007-2012 when D'Souza was the revenue minister.
But, the party failed to win any seat in 2012 Goa polls.
NCP had alliance with Congress during 2012 polls and had contested on seven seats. Later, some leaders deserted the party in last five years.
Senior state NCP leaders Nilkant Halarnkar and Trajano D'Mello recently joined the Congress. Halarnkar is now contesting from Thivim constituency on Congress ticket.
Mr D'Souza said the NCP and Congress together along with like-minded parties like Goa Forward would have been able to form government by defeating BJP, if there was a tie-up, but now fears that in the present situation, there will be division of votes.