Updated on Saturday, January 10, 2009, 00:00 IST

Panaji, Jan 10: Divisions seem to be surfacing in the Congress and NCP in Goa with both allies announcing their decision to contest the North Goa Lok Sabha seat.

Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Subhash Shirodkar on Saturday announced his party's decision to field a candidate from the seat, just two days after NCP president Sharad Pawar said that his party would contest from the constituency.

Asked about Pawar's announcement, Shirodkar said that the NCP chief's statement was meant "only for public consumption".

He said that the Congress had been preparing to contest the North Goa seat and even discussed names of two-three probable candidates.

In the last Parliamentary elections, the North Goa seat was contested by NCP while South Goa was given to Congress.

Shirodkar said that it was premature to talk about seat -sharing at this point of time.

"It is too premature. Let's wait till the end of February. Nothing has been decided yet," he said.

Bureau Report