TEAM HERALD
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PANJIM: The much-hyped visit of the All India Congress Committee General Secretary Digvijay Singh to the State Wednesday could witness intense deliberations and possibly even a decision on the long-due party revamp and strategy for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
The flamboyant and outspoken Singh known to be close to the Congress First Family, and Chella have replaced Brar and S Reddy as high command representatives.
The AICC’s Goa desk in-charge Digvijay Singh who is scheduled to arrive in Goa along with AICC secretary A Chella Kumar is the latest in the line of High Command deputies to come to Goa following JS Brar and S Reddy, BS Hariprasad, Margaret Alva and Ramesh Chennithala who were previous observers. Brar and Reddy presided over a wipe out during the 2012 assembly polls.
The high command emissaries will address block presidents and party workers at Goa Maratha Samaj from 4 to 6 pm. Later, they will meet leaders for a one-on-one meeting before leaving the State the next morning.
Singh’s visit provides an opportunity to local Congressmen to not only welcome him but to reiterate loyalty to the high command and size up the new man in charge.
Insiders say that though the CLP post is not likely to be touched, the discussion would certainly involve the GPCC and its elections and could see three probable scenarios ~ one that as there are only 10 or so months, the present acting president ~ Subash Shirodkar ~ be allowed to continue ~ hectic lobbying is on to ensure that. The second could be if the South Goa ticket is finalized well in advance in favour of the incumbent MP, then Francisco Sardinha could be the president and lead the party till the polls or third a new face like Alexio Reginaldo Lourenco could be given the reigns of the party.
But, party sources say that the limbo and lethargy in the party can be gauged as party spokesmen are allowed to speak in different voices, no proper plan or strategy shown and till date accounts of the previous election have still not been shown to the workers. There were allegations about irregularities in some Rs 2 crore payments for advertisements during the 2012 assembly elections.
However, there are a couple of things that all agree are necessary for a president to make any impact ~ firstly he will have to invest in the party’s future and that he should have some base in the State.
On the other front, the Congress ‘high command’ normally gives tickets to sitting MLAs, but there have been times that this has not happened.
The Luizinhio Falerio factor could also tip the scales, with Faleiro having a successful stint in carrying out assignments given to him by the high command. If he goes to the Centre, he automatically becomes an asset to the party and if UPA III materializes, his organizational talents can be used by the party. He is also the minority face in the party given its penchant for flaunting the secular card especially as Modi is the face of the BJP.
In case this is being discussed, then Reginaldo becomes a strong contender.
The North Goa seat is likely to be given to the NCP and there is strong move whereby a BJP legislator could be given the NCP ticket and he could keep someone from his family to replace him in his constituency; not normally a BJP constituency. This would help the NCP considerably given that the sitting BJP MP is facing the ‘fatigue factor’ and though nobody denies his likeability factor, nobody is very enthusiastic over his effectiveness. This candidate also nullifies the caste factor besides being a brilliant and firebrand speaker.
However, Singh will also have to contend with many losing 2012 candidates petitioning for various posts though there is a slight backlash already at the grassroots against the people who many blame for the party drubbing at the assembly elections. They are eager to take advantage at the perceived or otherwise fatigue that the minority community is seeming to show in the present government.
Though there has been talk of cross party discontent, sources indicate that the final decision will be taken by the high command and as of now there is no willingness to agree to any such proposal with indications showing that this could happen only after the Lok Sabha elections.
However, as Congress sources said, if the Congress party at the Centre wants, it can do a lot. It is just that at this present moment it has not decided to take any action.
