Faleiro for ‘Super Mahagatbandhan’ of secular forces

MARGAO: Sticking to his earlier stance that there were no options in Goa to have a Mahagatbandhan, GPCC President Luizinho Faleiro said he was looking to form a ‘Super Mahagatbandhan’ by uniting all secular-minded people in Goa against the BJP.

At the Lohia Maidan meet, Faleiro criticised calls for a Mahagatbandan in Goa and said the formula followed in Bihar where Congress tied up with JDU and RJD cannot be replicated in Goa as the regional parties in Goa like the MGP and GVP were the ‘B’ teams of the BJP.

Faleiro said it was not wise to form an alliance with ‘B’ teams of the BJP and said the Congress should focus on itself and look at strengthening its grassroots.

He said that when he took over the reins of the party in Goa he had said that there was no magic wand but he had a magic formula which revolved around unity, discipline and consolidating the party base. He spoke at great length about how this would be possible by bringing in new faces and how it was important for MLAs who have won consecutive terms to focus on creating second and third line leadership among the party.

He gave the example of how the party had brought in new faces via Zilla Panchayat members and how he had instructed all party workers to go out and reach to the people and try and solve their problems and that was the only way for the party to rise up again rather than depending on outside support via alliances.