Vijay asks: What does Cong want, Delhi or Bihar?
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 26 November 2015 12:38 IST
What does Congress want in Goa – Delhi or Bihar? Asks Vijay Sardesai, Fatorda’s independent MLA, who is trying hard for a Grand Alliance for 2017 Assembly election, on the lines of Bihar.
Digvijay Singh, the national Congress leader monitoring Goa, has rejected his proposal of alliance with any party.
“Right now we are not thinking of any alliance but to contest all the 40 seats”, he said during his recent Goa visit.
Reacting to this, Sardesai said the Congress has to decide whether they would follow the Bihar formula or repeat the history of Delhi.
Both the elections were held this year; Delhi in February and Bihar last month.
The Congress, which ruled Delhi for several years, could not win a single seat as three-year old AAP swept the Assembly poll by winning 67 out of 70 seats, leaving the rest 3 for the BJP, which is ruling the country.
Perhaps learning a lesson from this, the Congress in Bihar joined the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) along with chief minister Nitish Kumar’s JD (U) and Laloo Prasad Yadav’s RJD.
As a result, though in fourth position, the Congress could win 27 seats along with 80 by RJD and 71 by JD (U). The BJP, while in opposition, won 53 seats.
Sardesai equates Goa situation of Congress similar to Bihar and Delhi as the one-time consistent rulers of the state since 1980 could win only nine seats in the 40-member House in 2012 election.
Singh, during his recent Goa visit, reportedly also told the local leaders that alliance needs be formed with any party and not ‘independents’, indirectly ridiculing the union of three independents – Sardesai, Rohan Khaunte and Naresh Sawal.
According to Sardesai, this argument does not hold any more since they plan to ‘support’ a new regional party, which they would officially join after their term is over.
Legally, the Anti-Defection Act does not permit independents to join any political party.
“The ground reality in Goa is similar to Bihar or Delhi as people are completely disgusted with the Bharatiya Janata Party government here”, claims Sardesai.
He however is not surprised with Singh’s negative stand, terming it as towing the line of local leadership.
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Luizinho Faleiro has publicly rejected the proposal of alliance, stating that there is no party worth to have alliance with.
“The MGP is with the BJP, the NCP has no roots and AAP is just taking shape in Goa. Whom to have alliance with”, Faleiro had asked a public rally held on intolerance in Margao recently.
A section of media also reported that Singh had told local Congress leaders either to attack the BJP government or go and join the saffron brigade.
Sardesai does not leave this opportunity to ridicule the Congress, whom he plans to join hands with.
“The Congress is showing growing intolerance towards the independents who are real voice of the opposition while being tolerant to the ruling BJP”, he quips.
He also asserts that the secular, progressive and self-respecting Goans will go ahead with their plan to form a new regional party, whose High Command will be located in Goa itself.
Who's desperate - congress or Vijay?!