TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai leads the front of independents as the base for a regional formation they will support and eventually be a part of. Sardesai says he’s open to an alliance of like-minded forces. He says that the Regional Front will be an anti-BJP front and that is non-negotiable. He says that the door to the Congress is not closed but dialogue will happen with Central leaders and not the Luizinho Faleiro faction. Excerpts from the chat
Herald: You talk of a regional party and, at the same time of a mahagatbandhan. Is it not too preliminary, right now, to talk of both these entities in the same breath, when neither exists today?
Vijai Sardesai: We can see clearly that no single party will get the majority numbers in the next Assembly. This includes the BJP, who after realising this are seriously scouting for allies and also nurturing politicians to disturb the gains of the Opposition. The performance of the government has disillusioned the majority community. The minorities may perceive threats due to the undemocratic, communal and Hindutva agenda of the BJP. The majority community is measuring this government on growth, development and social harmony. The Congress party is not looked as an alternative by the people. People are fed up with the leadership. Congressmen themselves do not trust the leadership. Under present circumstances, the only way is to have a regional front to take forward regional aspirations with the high command in Goa. At the same time, there is need to align with all like-minded individuals and political parties. Hence, we have taken the lead to float the idea of the grand alliance of anti-BJP forces.
Herald: But the Congress has rejected your grand alliance.
VS: Has the General Secretary in charge of Goa Digvijaya Singh said so? Only Luizinho Faleiro has said so. Goa Congress MLAs and even senior leaders at Goa and Delhi think differently from the Luizinho Faleiro faction’s view point on the Grand Alliance. The Congress leadership in Goa is actually a ‘self command’, more keen to safeguard self interest rather than the party’s interest. This local leadership utilises the disconnect between the High Command and lower rung cadres to wrongly advise the Centre as regards the aspirations/expectations of the people of Goa.
Herald: Has Luizinho Faleiro ever offered you the post of the Leader of Opposition as he claims?
VS: This is news to me. My statement that the Fatorda Forward model at MMC elections of young new candidates needs to be replicated at the State level and the subsequent statement after Bihar results, that a Grand Alliance is the only way one can dislodge the BJP in Goa, seems to have evoked an unusually strong reaction from Luizinho Faleiro and his faction of the State Congress. Mr Faleiro seems to be taking lot of efforts and going even to the extent of lying, in the bargain. It is another matter that effectively I lead whatever that remains of the opposition. But the Goa Congress seems to be becoming increasingly intolerant of us Independent MLAs and is tolerant to the BJP.
Herald: How can this regional party go it alone in 2017? Where will it get candidates to fight 40 seats?
VS: We know our strengths and limitations. We are not politically immature to storm all Assembly constituencies. We will micro manage each and every constituency to ensure the win. I am confident of finding alliance partners. Let me also add that we are serious to defeat the BJP in 2017 but we are also looking beyond that. People want change. Change also means new faces and young blood. We only can ensure this as we do not have the baggage of ex-CMs and ex-ministers. Next, our High Command does not sit in Delhi. The people of Goa are our High Command.
Herald: The GPCC president alleges that you fought the MMC elections with the Congress, but boast only of your Fatorda Forward.
VS: We came together to defeat the BJP in the Margao Municipal poll and you saw the result. This is an example of successful alliance. This is acknowledged in public and in the manner the council is functioning. So I don’t know what the GPCC president is saying.
Herald: Are you promoted by the BJP to split the minority vote? Or are you propped up by sections of the Congress to get into spaces they can’t?
VS: My innings and work in the State Assembly proves how close or distant I am to BJP. My role in the recent elections to Margao Municipal Council also proves it. The ideology of our party is the same idea of India that the erstwhile Congress party espouses. But we are clear that our High Command is not in Delhi. We stand for transparency and governance free of corruption. We want to promote new faces and young blood.
Herald: There is a possibility that the BJP might eventually gain from the political churning that your party may generate.
VS: Our entire effort is to defeat the BJP. Hence, the strategy would be worked out to ensure that there are no gains at all to BJP. This will be done at the ground level understanding the pulse of each constituency. That’s why we speak of alliance. None of our electoral decisions will provide an indirect edge to BJP. This is a non-negotiable.
