World Cup cricket unites warring Goa leaders

Panaji: Sunday's World Cup cricket match against Pakistan has united all political parties in Goa with rival political leaders issuing a joint video message wishing good luck to Team India.

The video shot outside the World Cup match venue at Old Trafford, the United Kingdom, features Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai, BJP General Secretary Dattaprasad Naik and Atanasio Monserrate, Congress MLA.

"Cheers to India. We are not together in Goa. Here we are supporting India together. We are cheering for India and are sure India will win. Bharat Mata ki jai!" said Sardesai.

Sardesai heads the Goa Forward party and is a bitter critic of the Congress, to which Monserrate belongs. Naik has contested unsuccessfully against Monserrate in the Assembly and the panchayat elections.

When photographs of Monserrate and Sardesai together at the Heathrow airport, London, emerged last week, they evoked criticism from social media users from Goa.