While the Manohar Parrikar led coalition government had smooth sailing in the first hundred days of power, the prime and only opposition party- Congress- was indulging in “blame-game” and “internal politics”- to stake fresh claim for State government formation. 

 The Congress party took everyone by surprise when it jumped from mere 6 MLAs ( excluding -two left the party while one was expelled) in 2012 to 17 seats in the State Assembly elections held in February. The party then hoped for support from three legislators of Goa Forward Party and one Independent taking the tally to 21, the number sufficient to prove its majority on the floor of the House. 

 However, the in-fight for the CLP leadership among the senior legislators, left the party red-faced, with the national party failing to form the government. Congress’ so called ‘alliance supporters’ joined hands with BJP to form the next State government, while Sonia Gandhi led party was busy in ‘secrete ballot’ voting to elect their leader which went on for nearly 12-14 hours.

Quepem MLA Chandrakant Kavalekar was finally announced as the CLP leader. 

The failure to form the government had upset the Congress elected representatives, who laid scathing attack on AICC general secretary and then Goa desk in-charge Digvijay Singh 

On March 14, when the Parrikar led cabinet was supposed to be sworn in, Congress approached Supreme Court challenging the government formation and accusing the Goa Governor Dr Mridula Sinha offailing to call them first to prove their majority and stake claim for government formation. The Apex Court directed both Congress and BJP to conduct a floor test on March 16 to prove its majority.  

The Congress was embarrassed on the Floor of the House, when their senior MLA Vishwajit Rane, abstained himself from voting during the ‘vote of confidence’- thus giving clear majority to BJP led alliance- despite signing a whip issued by the party. The embarrassment for the party continued, when, even before it could seek action against Rane for defying whip, the former Valpoi MLA tendered his resignation from the party as well as from being MLA- later to only join the ruling BJP. 

Since then, the Congress is busy blaming BJP and Manohar Parrikar for “stealing”...”robbing” the mandate given to them by the people of Goa. 

Within a month of being elected, 13-14 MLAs had come together demanding change in party leadership- 

The group claimed that the non Congress MLAs (non BJP) are ready to ally with them provided Faleiro steps down. However, the High Command clearly put its weight behind Faleiro. Then on June 23, the GPCC president sent another letter asking the AICC resident to consider and accept his decision

During the period, Faleiro offered to quit the post requesting the AICC leadership to relieve him as his “job was done”. 

In a fresh move, now, Faleiro has put up his papers afresh asking party national president Sonia Gandhi to relieve him stating ‘that some senior leaders feel that they can form the government and my continuation creates a hindrance in the same”. 

The Congress still has the numbers to turn things around. But does it really have the will and the wherewithal to get the party together to rule, without infighting and bickering. The answer is blowing in the wind.