WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 2024
Paralysed by conceit and numbed by their own egos, some Congress leaders in Goa seem to have thrown their hands up in their fight against BJP, utterly failing the people in their duties and responsibilities as a credible political party let alone an opposition. The now legendary lethargy and embarrassing double speak of the party on the eve of the Assembly elections has plunged Goa into a state of political uncertainty and inexplicable confusion. More importantly, they have failed to rise to the expectations of the people. Will they or won’t they have an alliance with Goa Forward Party? Will they be part of a united opposition or will they go solo?
Consider this: Dinesh Gundu Rao, the Congress Desk in Charge for Goa believes that without an alliance, the party will be wiped out from State politics, but the right time to do it has not yet arrived; the Congress Election Observer for Goa, P Chidambaram, is all set to contest all the 40 seats on their own; the South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha and some others feel no need for any alliance, and the rank and file of the party is left confused, clueless and vulnerable. Who’s really in charge here? Are they fit mentally and physically to take on the BJP?
Despite the intense anger and frustration that the people of Goa harbour against the current government for their multiple failures and wanton corruption, unity among the Opposition is critical to oust the BJP as the Goa Forward Party president Vijai Sardesai has been insisting for years. Surging inflation, mining suspension, galloping price of petrol, diesel and LPG, wanton destruction of the environment with the three linear projects and selling out Mhadei River to Karnataka for political gains, the people of Goa are up to their neck with this regime and itching to teach the saffron party a lesson. There’s no better time than now. Yet, some Congress leaders, including GPCC president Girish Chodankar, for reasons best known to them have chosen to turn a deaf ear to the resounding voice of Goans, misrepresenting public sentiment to the Congress High Command and wilfully misguiding them.
They have put their self-interest, their petty worldview and their self importance above the interests of Goa.
Vijai Sardesai has repeatedly stated and vehemently insisted that the need of a united opposition is vital to defeat the muscle power and money power of the BJP in the upcoming Goa Assembly elections. But the Congress has rejected all calls for an alliance with the Goa Forward Party, facilitating perhaps the return of a BJP government by unfortunate default.
The entry of Trinamool Congress in the State politics, a direct result of the Congress’ non-existent organisation and impotent leadership, has stunned the Grand Old Party especially when its own leader Luizinho Faleiro along with some others quit the party to join the Trinamool Congress. Blows like these a weak Congress can ill afford. A much weakened party with its famed lethargy and astonishing carelessness in forging a powerful opposition will drive anti-BJP forces to seek other alternatives, other coalitions, and other formations to defeat the BJP.
Such moves are accelerated by the mindless actions of the Congress itself. Without ruling out the possibility of an alliance, the Congress has deviously started block meetings in the constituencies of Tivim, Mayem, Aldona, St Andre, Siolim, Canacona and other constituencies where Goa Forward Party candidates have forged way ahead with their campaigns. How does this help opposition unity? Vijai Sardesai had on many occasions warned that his party wants to contest the 2022 election and not the one in 2017 when the Congress repeatedly failed to respond or make their position clear. How can he be blamed if, in his determination to put a stop the corrupt and divisive BJP, forces him to find alternate ways to fight them?
Even in the midst of such utter uncertainty, Vijai Sardesai has stuck to his guns on the issue of a united opposition and has declared that a strong opposition will defeat the anti-people BJP and will form the new government after the elections. His fear that everything seems to point to the fact that the Congress is not serious or sincere about defeating the BJP and hence they are delaying the decision on the alliance is a fear that the average person in Goa shares. And Goans are not amused. They want a change, and Congress has turned its back on them.
