Goa YC demands expulsion of Pawar group
SANDESH PRABHUDESAI, PANAJI | 25 May 1999 12:27 ISTIndicating clear division in the Goa Congress when state Assembly elections are hardly 10 days away, the Youth Congress here has come out openly in support of three expelled Congress leaders, urging party president Sonia Gandhi to revoke their expulsion.
Vishnu Wagh, the GPYC president, claims it to be a decision of the state executive body, which was taken after debating the whole issue threadbare. He appears to be prepared for any kind of consequences that would follow.
In a resolution taken in this regard, which was sent to Mrs Gandhi, the Youth Congress has urged her to revoke the "arbitrary decision of expulsion and bring the three leaders into the party fold before any further damage is caused to party’s image."
The Goan young Congressmen have however skilfully avoided taking stand on the issue of Mrs Gandhi’s foreign origin. Instead, they have forcefully demanded serious debate on the issue at various levels in the Congress, upholding Congress tradition of tolerance and free expression.
Taking a contrary stand to the local Congress leaders who are presently busy electioneering, Wagh firmly believes that the Sharad Pawar episode would obviously create an adverse impact about the Congress on the voters.
"Pawar is one of the few leaders who are known to be having a mass base whereas Purno Sangma is regarded as one of the best known political intellectuals in our country", stated the resolution. The CWC paying no heed to their letter symbolises erosion of democratic values within the Congress, he feels.
Reminding her that Congress has always been built as a forum of free expression by veterans like Lokmanya Tilak, Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Nehru, the resolution also hits out directly stating that "there should be no place for sycophancy and image worship in a democratic institution".
Incidentally, the GPYC met the same day when the Goa PCC office bearers met in the town here on Monday to take a resolution urging Mrs Gandhi to withdraw her resignation letter. She has been invited to address two public rallies in Goa on 30 May.
Reacting to Youth Congress stand, sources in the Congress feel that Wagh is being used as a front by a few Congress leaders here, who are preparing grounds for splitting from the party and join Pawar’s new outfit soon after elections, scheduled to be held on June 4.
Dr Wilfred de Souza, the rebel Congress leader who is contesting polls in the name of Goa Rajiv Congress, has on the other hand alleged that most of the local Congress leaders are close to either Pawar, Sangma or Tariq Anwar.
His party is supporting most of the expelled Congress rebels who are contesting either as independents or candidates of regional parties. But he shows more allegiance to Mrs Gandhi, indicating his plans to join the Congress once the local party units splits and joins Pawar group.
Former union minister Ramakant Khalap, whose Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party was also founded by leaders of Maharashtra Congress way back in 1960, says he cannot remain a mute spectator. While supporting Pawar’s views, he prefers to wait till elections to join Pawar’s third front.
