HERALD: The Congress is in position to challenge the BJP. Many have already written the party off, what would you say about the candidate selection process which became slightly controversial
LUIZINHO FALEIRO: I think the brief for me from Mrs Gandhi was to build the party in Goa, to strengthen and consolidate the organization and to ensure that we are on a level playing field to fight the elections against the BJP.
HERALD: I think it is with that narrative you went to Delhi. The talk of alliances suddenly started after you finalized 39 names and we all know what happened and whatever happened was an ugly story.
LF: Let me put the record straight. After my taking over as the president of the PCC, I tried to do an introspection as to why Congress lost so miserably in the last Assembly as well as in the Parliamentary elections. We did a Chintan Baithak and we understood the sentiments of the people but one thing was very clear, the people said if you want the Congress to come back to power then you have to come with new faces, that was the very popular aspiration of the people. It was a gigantic uphill task to build young new leadership in all 40 constituencies. We tried to do it while trying to consolidate the organization at the booth level, at the block level and we built young new faces. Today I’m proud that we had many candidates who were vying for the ticket. This shows the party is vibrant, strong and is in fighting mode
HERALD: Would it be completely wrong in assuming that there is a disconnect between grassroots aspirations and and the section of the senior leadership of the party?
LF: First of all we have put more than 60 percent of new faces in these elections. This obviously must have hurt some of the senior leaders, but many of the senior leaders are not seen going out of their constituencies. But these are tough elections the Election Commission has given us a very limited period to campaign, there is hardly any time to do house-to-house campaigns but all said and done I am happy that we have got new faces and I’m sure that we will be victorious.
HERALD: The BJP has used the trick of dividing votes very cleverly in this campaign. Comment
LF: I feel in these elections though the dirty tricks department of the BJP knowing that they are not going to get as many seats as they expected have decided to field a lot of individuals, for example in my own constituency they have got an independent supported by BJP and then they have got another independent which is again supported by the BJP and to add to that we have got AAP who is indirectly helping the BJP, so this is an attempt to divide the secular vote. I think people understood the game of the BJP and its dirty tricks department. I think this time the fight will be between the Congress and the BJP and there is a silent wave in favor of Congress because people realized the BJP that had given so many dreams, promises and schemes became empty promises.
HERALD: Tell us a little bit about Navelim,
LF: I did not want to contest. I had promoted at least three new faces in Navelim but at the last moment all the people came and told me, Sir you are working all over the State and if you are not going to contest we will lose the election. For me I am ready for any sacrifice so that we should not lose even one seat. Having said that it has now been a few days after I took the decision, it was a very late decision, I tried to go house-to-house and I must confess it is a very emotional experience when someone elderly comes out of the house and embraces you with tears in their eyes and tells me whatever you see around in terms of development, progress and infrastructure is what I had done 10 years back and the constituency has gone 10 years behind. They once again want Navelim constituency, which was the number 1 constituency in Goa, to regain its old glory.
HERALD: Coming to the future, suppose there is a situation where the Congress falls short of a majority but remains the single largest party so the onus will be on you to form a government. Will you reach out to forces with whom you did not have a very amicable relationship in the past for instance look at Goa Forward and NCP, even MGP?
LF: Let me say politics is dynamic, politics is never static and in politics there are no permanent friends and no permanent enemies. Politics is something which is possible for the good of the future of Goa. See we have come out with an election manifesto, mission document we have come out with an agenda for the youth and women, the right to health, education and employment and if any political party understands that and if they feel they should be part of the government along with government there should be no problem
HERALD: So post poll alliances are completely open”
LF: In politics anything is possible provided it fits in our manifesto. For the first time the Congress has put in so much efforts in coming out with a Goa centric manifesto which we have done after consulting most of the stakeholders, we have taken into consideration the failures of the last five years of BJP government and also the alarming rate of unemployment in Goa. Goa is becoming the sin capital of India with casinos and drugs. People are frustrated and people do want Congress to come back in power.
HERALD: If you see the reins of the party leadership going in the hands of somebody else, deep down will you feel a little let down because at the end of the day this was the task given to you.
LF: Today if I am back in Goa it is the call and request of Mrs Gandhi ‘if Goa is suffering and if I don’t help the party who will help’? I tried my best, I think the people of Goa also supported my efforts in building the organization. At the end of the day I don’t want to spoil my name and go away, whatever I have committed in the manifesto of the party I must say that manifesto, the mission statement the vision document and the different aspects which are there to empower the youth specially this is a testament of my faith. And I don’t want anybody thereafter whoever is in power to betray the trust of the people. I must say I will play my role as a responsible senior Congressman, I will ensure that whatever word we have given in the election manifesto in our mission statement and in our vision document is delivered will all earnest.
