PANJIM: With a focus on restructuring and revamping the party organisation right from the grassroots, newly-appointed Goa desk in charge Dinesh Gundu Rao is confident that Congress will emerge with a majority at the 2022 State Assembly elections. A confident Rao ruled out any pre-poll alliance with Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) or Goa Forward Party (GFP) maintaining Congress is “strong enough to win on our own”.
Rao was in Goa for his first official visit after being appointed as in charge of Goa, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, last month. During his two-day visit, Rao met party MLAs, senior leaders, members of Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC), district and block president, for talks with the focus on strengthening the organisation, taking up people’s problems and gearing up for the 2022 polls.
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Addressing media persons on Saturday, Rao in response to a question on a possible pre-poll alliance with MGP or GFP, Rao said, “There is no question of aligning with parties who had compromised themselves for their personal gain.” He was referring to both parties extending support to the BJP to form a government in 2017. Currently, both parties are out of the government.
“My vision is very simple. Every block and district committee has to be strong. We are building ourselves in all 40 seats. We had got single largest seats last time (2017). When we are strong enough for our own, where is the question of aligning,” he said.
With regards to the MLAs who left Congress and joined BJP, Rao said that the State PCC has resolved not to have any truck with them and will continue with that stand.
Rao said that during his interactions with party leaders and office bearers, he tried to understand the pulse of the State unit.
“Looking at the current situation, I feel, if we all work as a team and unite, and reach out to the people listening to their grievances concerning their livelihood, then there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that we will have an absolute majority in the next election. Congress party will form the government emerging as the single largest party like in 2017,” Rao said, adding Congress has a huge vote share in Goa.
“Keeping this in mind, we are restructuring and rejuvenating our party workers. We have decided to strengthen our booth committees and reorganise Pradesh committee to make it more effective,” the senior Congress leader said.
“With support of all sitting and former MLAs, senior and junior leaders, we will prepare a detailed road map for 2022. And it will be a proud moment for me to have a Congress government in Goa,” he added.
Rao said that directions have been issued to all pradesh and district members to see that booth committees are constituted under a new president by November 30. In December, training programmes for these booth committees will be held, gearing them on political management, people’s issues and elections.
Also, in a clear warning to MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, who met Rao along with the other four MLAs, the AICC leader said, “There has to be discipline in the party and anyone violating it would not be tolerated in future.”
“Discipline is something that has to be followed. If there is any issue then discuss it in-house. Don’t go in public and talk. It’s not right,” he said in the presence of Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat and State unit president Girish Chodankar.
