The Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM) and the Shiv Sena formally announced on Friday that they will fight the coming Goa Assembly election together. The polls are expected in March 2017.

The seat-sharing deal

Under the arrangement, the Shiv Sena will contest five seats: three in North Goa and two in South Goa.

• North Goa: Pernem, Tivim and Saligao
• South Goa: Vasco and Cuncolim

The Goa Praja Party is also part of the arrangement, so the GSM, the Shiv Sena and the Goa Praja Party will contest as one bloc. All the alliance’s candidates are to be named by December 15, after which a public meeting will be held with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray in attendance.

Shared agenda

The two parties had agreed in principle to come together during Mr Thackeray’s recent visit to Goa. Announcing the tie-up, GSM president Anand Shirodkar described them as like-minded parties. He said the Sena backs all of the GSM’s demands, among them an end to grant-in-aid for English-medium primary schools run by the church. “We will come out with common minimum programme for the election,” Mr Shirodkar said.

What happened next

In the 2017 Goa Assembly election the Congress won 17 seats, the BJP 13 and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party 3. Manohar Parrikar was Chief Minister after the election.

See also: Goa Vidhan Sabha members and upcoming elections.

Originally published on 28 November 2016. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

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