Chidambaram said this, even as outside the meeting rooms, in the queue of politicians and aspiring politicians waiting to meet him and Congress Goa Desk in charge Dinesh Rao, was an MLA, two former Mayors of the State capital and various others hoping to plead their case for a place in the party and a ticket for the elections.
For the loyalists who in recent weeks watched askance as the party embraced potential candidates, Chidambaram’s message should be reassuring. For a party that won 17 seats in 2017 and 1 in 2019 in a by-election to be reduced to 5 MLAs, there can be no criteria other than loyalty in selecting candidates. The party needs to send those dyed-in-the-wool Congressmen who make up the party organisation to the Legislature. It needs to play the game like a sport’s team, by sending its best 40 into the field, and not benching its doers. It is acceptable to strengthen the party before the elections by taking in new people, but quite another thing to give those who change colours overnight the party symbol and a ticket to contest the elections. Congress has suffered due to the latter, but perhaps until now, had not learnt the lesson.
Chidambaram obviously means business and said so clearly that his task is getting the party ready in all 40 Assembly constituencies. He swept aside questions of a pre-poll alliance stating that it is not the mandate now and will be discussed at the appropriate time. Congress has been constantly reiterating that there will be no alliance going into the elections, even as regional parties keep up the pressure on the National party for a tie-up. The fact that Congress has been repeatedly saying no should be obvious enough that the party doesn’t want any crutches in 2022 and is ready to run the race on its own legs and steam. This stand also indicates that the party is confident, but will it stand by this even as elections draw near or will it cave in and end up in an alliance?
He may have boosted morale among party loyalists with his statements, and yet, Chidambaram, the consumate politician and advocate, was also non-committal. He didn’t evade questions from the media, but answered them letting out just what he wanted to say and not exactly what the media wanted to know. So, there is still no confirmation that there will be a change in leadership, there is also no certainty of whether there will be a chief ministerial face announced. In 40 constituencies there are 40 commanders leading the battle, Chidambaram said, a veiled indication that the prized position in the event of a victory could go to any one of the commanders.
Chidambaram will be back next month. Congress has begun preps for the elections in advance. Such visits by central observers were not common six months prior to an election. But the party that has been totally demoralised, and whose leadership is being questioned, will need these booster shots to keep it going. If the party leaders in Goa can’t do it, then the central leaders will have to do it for them. But then, when will the local Congress leadership stand up and be counted?
