PANJIM: The High Command of the Congress, cumulatively napped and failed to decide on their leader, more than 24 hours since the results were known. The BJP pounced on the indecision and delay, as no name emerged even at 3 pm and then 5 pm. At the same time, Congress sources claimed that they were deceived into thinking that Goa Forward’s Vijay Sardesai or his team would meet the Congress high command to decide on the terms of engagement but did not.
Despite being the single largest party with 17 MLAs, Congress failed to wrest the initiative to form the next government as internal rift and the inability to break ground with Goa Forward.
Many senior leaders of the Congress, were peeved at the inordinate delay in deciding on the CLP leader. The entire afternoon was spent in taking a secret ballot of MLAs, but not declaring the result. Digambar Kamat and Vishwajeet Rane left the Mandovi hotel where the Congress was camped, while AICC General Secretary, who was the main responsible for forming the government, unable to even establish contact with Digvijay Singh.
he slow pace of the leadership selection exercise and the “game plan” did not go down well with senior leaders like Pratpasingh Rane, Digambar Kamat, Vishwajit Rane, Alexio Reginaldo Lourenco, who left the meeting midway, disappointment and frustration clearly visible on their faces. Sources claim, that Lourenco and junior Rane have threatened to resign from the party seeing no future for the Congress in Goa.
On Saturday, when Congress emerged as the single largest party, there were clear signals that it would form the next government though BJP, with 13 MLAs had announced it would also stake claim to form the government. However, equations changed on Sunday, as there was no sense of direction or unity in Congress efforts to reach to Goa Forward and MGP.
The Congress, also decided to reach out to the four independents, taking for granted that Rohan Khaunte would support them and even get the backing of the BJP backed Govind Gawde and Prasad Gaonkar and the NCP’s Churchill Alemao.
The Goa Forward, meanwhile had a pre-condition, conveyed through Digvijay Singh on Saturday night that Luizinho Faleiro was not acceptable as CLP leader. Singh, meanwhile misled many workers who he “convinced” that the Congress would form the government. Quite the contrary happened.
Sources said that Pratapsingh Rane, Kamat, Vishwajit Rane and Lourenco were for an alliance with Goa Forward, which has three MLAs-elect, and even held informal discussions with the GF leaders. But it didn’t move further.
Lourenco said, “I am very disturbed with the party, which functions on whims and fancies of one person. The party’s failure has led me to now take some extreme step as I am not going to tolerate this. There is nothing worse than sitting in opposition even after emerging as the single largest party.”
Digambar Kamat refused to comment on the mess and what led to the party’s failure to form the government, his reaction gave clear indications that ‘all is not well’. “What should I say? Mess, we had a chance but we missed it,” he stated.
Sources say that though Kamat did not stake claim for the Chief Ministerial post during the meeting, he wanted Congress to form the government at any cost.
Both the Ranes refused to comment on the development while leaving the meeting in the middle. “I would not like to comment on anything,” Pratapsingh Rane said.
Taleigao MLA-elect Jennifer Monserrate said, “We cannot blame Goa Forward or anybody at this moment, let us blame only ourselves and our leaders for this (government formation) not happening. We can only blame ourselves… When I say our leaders, I’m talking about Digvijay Singh and others who come from Delhi.”
