PANJIM: Claiming there is unity in the Congress in its resolve to defeat the BJP-MGP alliance and new entrant AAP in the 2017 election, All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary and Goa desk in charge Divijay Singh on Monday sent a clear signal to the rebel leaders to maintain “party discipline”.
At the same time, after dodging questions on a grand alliance, Singh, once again keeping the option of alliance open, said the decision in that regard would be taken by the Central Election Committee and not by the Pradesh Election Committee.
Addressing media persons after chairing the Pradesh Election Committee meeting, Singh said there is unity in the Congress to defeat BJP, MGP and AAP and see that Congress comes to power in 2017. “There may be some difference of opinion amongst us and that issue will be sorted out by the Pradesh committee,” he said.
“Every Congress leader has to understand that he has to maintain discipline,” Singh said responding to a question on some of the MLAs openly criticizing the party and even looking at other options to contest the coming elections. “By and large the party’s election preparations are on,” he stated.
Congress Cumbharjua MLA Pandurang Madkaikar, who had earlier said he was
keeping his options open, skipped the meeting, though he is a member of the election committee.
The AICC leader sounded unhappy and anguished over the media’s repeated questions on forming a grand alliance. “Why you (media) always ask on alliance… please let’s go for some other question,” he said.
However, after repeated questions, Singh was forced to reply stating that the decision on the alliance would be taken by the Central Election Committee and not by the PCC. He rubbished media claims that 37 of the 40 blocks have opposed a grand alliance and want the party to go it alone for the polls. “From where have you got the figures? Please don’t give figures…. no such resolution has come before the party till now,” Singh said.
Asked whether the party intends to form an alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Singh demanded that NCP national leader Prafulla Patel should first clarify on whether they find Congress fit enough to form alliance. “Somewhere he had made a statement regretting the party stand on having alliance with Congress. Let him clarify that first,” he said.
During the block committee meetings held on September 24, more than the half, had resolved not to contest the election in alliance.
Congress will hold two separate meetings on October 2 at Vasco and Tivim for poll strategies. The next meeting of the Pradesh election committee will be held in mid-October.
