PANJIM: Contradicting the party high command view on fighting the 2017 Assembly elections on its own, All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary Girish Chodankar on Monday stated that the party is open to an alliance to defeat BJP, whose corruption and ideology of intolerance is a major threat to the State.
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The AICC leader, however, ruled out an alliance with its former ally Maharahstrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), stating that the “party is nothing but another face of BJP”. MGP is currently in government in alliance with BJP.
Further, alleging that the ‘Grand Alliance cum Third Front’ announced by the some Independent MLAs is a “baby” of Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Chodankar said, “It will be a wait and watch move to see whether the third front is just another perception.”
Addressing media persons, Chodankar said the party will have an alliance with all those who want to defeat BJP. “People in Goa will be upset if the party does not form any alliance to defeat BJP. We will reach out to the last possible option to form an alliance,” he said.
“There needs to be mutual respect and trust to have an alliance with any political party,” he said, when asked whether the party will tie up with MGP or the third regional front during 2017 polls.
Commenting on the third front, Chodankar said that “baby is yet to be born and that time will give a clear picture whether it exists or is a mere perception”. He pointed out that in the past several regional political parties, like UGDP and Seva Goa, were formed and queried about their existence at present.
Chodankar statement comes as a major U-turn by Congress, as AICC general secretary and Goa desk in charge Digvijay Singh has already ruled out an alliance with any other party. Singh, during his Goa visit last week, had said that party is gearing up to contest on all 40 assembly seats.
Earlier this month, State Congress president Luizinho Faleiro had also said “no” to an alliance with any party including MGP, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Goa Vikas Party (GVP).
