Seat‑sharing disputes threaten Goa’s pre‑poll alliance talks

Goa is gearing up for its next Legislative Assembly election, prompting several regional and national parties to explore pre‑poll alliances that could reshape the state's political landscape. The talks aim to pool resources and present a united front against the incumbent government, a strategy that has proved effective in other states. However, the negotiations have stalled over seat‑sharing demands. Each party involved is seeking to contest a greater number of the 40 constituencies, leading to a tug‑of‑war over who will field candidates where. Political analysts warn that if the parties cannot reconcile these ambitions, the alliance may collapse, forcing them to contest the election separately and potentially fragmenting the anti‑incumbent vote. The discussions remain ongoing, with no definitive agreement reached as the election calendar draws nearer.