PANJIM: In a departure from its previous stand, main opposition party, Congress, on Wednesday said it is open to a pre-poll alliance with like-minded parties for the 2022 Goa Assembly elections, but that the final decision will be taken by the party high command.
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) working president Aleixo Sequeira, who returned Goa on Wednesday, after meeting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Delhi, said that till date no political party had approached the Congress for a pre-poll alliance nor had the Congress approached any like-minded parties.
Sequeira said that they had discussed election strategy, including pre-poll alliance with like-minded parties with Gandhi, who according him, told them that he will communicate their views to the Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi and inform them about the decision within the next couple of days.
Sequeira said that though the purpose of the Delhi visit was primarily to discuss Gandhi’s visit to Goa on Saturday, they, along with AICC election observer P C Chidambaram, Goa in-charge Dinesh Rao and South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha had discussed poll strategy.
“We put across our views and he heard us. We had diverse views on certain issues and on certain issues we spoke in one voice. He (Gandhi) has assured us that he will communicate our view to Congress President Sonia Gandhi and he will get back to us in the next couple of days,” Sequeira said.
To a question, Sequeira said, “We are open for pre-poll alliance with all like-minded parties to defeat Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Whoever is willing to work along with us, yes we could talk to them.”
Asked whether the Congress is in talks with Trinamool Congress Party (TMC), he said, “We have not spoken to anybody and we are first deciding whom we would like and then we will go ahead. Until Delhi (high command) is clear on the stand we cannot approach anybody. As of today the Congress will fight all 40 seats.”
GPCC working president and MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco said that the Congress will fight against the BJP, who he alleged, is ruling and destroying the State.
