PANJIM: Despite consistent demands from party workers to name the candidates for the 2017 elections in advance, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and Goa desk in charge Digvijay Singh on Friday appeared uncertain on whether the party would entertain the candidature of the old warhorses who were rejected in 2012.
Singh also remained tight-lipped on promoting family raj but categorically stated he would be “personally accountable” for whatever decision the party takes.
“I will ensure that whatever had happened in the last election (March 2012) will not be repeated. We are looking for candidates based on their merits and loyalty to the party. Acceptance and winnability are two more factors,” Singh told media persons.
“I want to make it clear that we have a procedure to follow. There is a consistent demand that the candidates be decided at the earliest,” he said.
When asked about promotion of family raj, Singh said that at present the party has only one family raj of Ranes – Pratapsingh and son Vishwajit. There was also the Monserrate couple – Atanasio (now expelled) and his wife Jennifer, who is still a Cong MLA. “We have to take a call on what to do with the sitting MLAs. In most places, we will be going for new faces,” he said.
The Congress Co-ordination Committee chaired by Singh held its second meeting in New Delhi on Thursday, wherein it was decided to begin drafting the election manifesto and chargesheet against the BJP-led State government.
“We have decided to soon begin our door-to-door campaign with the chargesheet of BJP government pointing to various failures,” he said.
