Panaji: Goa Forward Party (GFP) chief Vijai Sardesai on Tuesday termed his party's alliance with the Congress for the Assembly polls earlier this year as a mistake and claimed "some leaders even scolded me" for the alliance.
The BJP retained power by winning 20 seats in the 40-member Assembly, polls to which were held in February and results were declared in March. Congress won 11 seats and the GFP had to be content with three seats.
"There was a feeling in the GFP's state executive committee meeting whether it was a mistake to have a pre-poll alliance with Congress. Some of the leaders even scolded me for going for the alliance as according to them, we would have won more seats without the Congress," Sardesai told reporters here.
"If you ask me, yes, it was a mistake. It was an unenthusiastic and half-hearted alliance forged by the Congress. We could have won in some of the constituencies where Congress denied us tickets and their own candidates lost," Sardesai claimed.
The GFP chief said that Congress delayed the announcement of its candidates, which cost the alliance many seats.
"Elections in Goa are fought on the basis of personal visits to voters. At least one month is required for candidates to visit house to house," he added.