Introspect, we are not writing you off yet. That seems to be the message the Congress seems to be getting from its workers and people in Ponda.
However, the general feeling is that the party needs to do some introspection. Despite the saffron surge, the BJP can’t harm this party by away their MLAs. BJP is only taking advantage of Congress’ internal feuds, and the fact that it has so many “leaders” with so many differences.
There is also the feeling that Importing other party MLAs would also act as a deterrent and disadvantage as it will invite dissatisfaction among BJP’s aspiring candidates. The next big question is how will BJP keep all these “imported” leaders happy and how will they accommodate them.
According to Sanjay Naik at Shiroda as a party, Congress hasn’t faced a jolt. In Goa, people have very good sense of politics and can also judge which politician and parties are doing what for Goans. It is also wrong to believe that each time an MLA who leaves and joins any party would get rewarded. People have started hating turncoats. This will have no impact on the Congress. Even though some of MLAs ditched the party during the darkest hour, the party can’t be held responsible.
According to Kishore Borkar, those MLAs leaving Congress and re-contesting on a BJP ticket are cheating and making a mockery of the people’s mandate. The Congress at Valpoi has even formed its new Committee after Vishwajeet Rane left the party with his supporters
According to Pandurang Naik at Curti, each political party has its own style of functioning. He feels voters are wise enough and know which party is playing which game. Voters today are a learned lot. They know which politicians is taking them for a ride. Finally, ideology projected by a party is important. Congress and BJP are ideologically different and based on that difference, people elect candidates.
By the biggest problem of the Congress is that it lacks leadership.
Manoj Naik of Shiroda says that the Congress is a party with ideology and will never lose its ground at the state or national level. Pooh poohing the move of perpetual turn coat Babush Monserrate joining the Goa Forward, Naik said, “A former Congressman who had joined several parties earlier and now with the Goa Forward will have no impact on Congress because Congress Voters will remain with Congress.
The voices emanating from Ponda are interesting and also important because the Congress managed to dent not just the BJP but also the MGP in the area. The Ponda seat was won from the MGP while Shiroda , an earlier bastion of the Congress had slipped totally into BJP hands. Both Subhash Shirodkar and Ravi Naik have returned on a huge anti incumbency wave, and for now, its base is shielded from the overall paucity of ideas and leadership that the party suffers from in the state.
