FLASHBACK: CONGRESS
Fatorda was Congress stronghold in the 90’s ever since the new constituency was carved out in 1989
Between 1989-2002, Fatorda was represented by former minister Luis Alex Cardozo
Congress fort crumbled in 2002 and the Lotus bloomed in the constituency for the first time
BJP capitalised on the split in the secular vote resulting in the defeat of the Congress
Situation remained unchanged in 2007 when the secular vote again witnessed a vertical split, decimating the Congress in its once stronghold.....
Fears of history repeating itself in Fatorda and in other constituencies may again come to the fore again with the 2017 Assembly election less than 15 months away and the Congress unveiling plans to go all alone in the coming poll and the Independents vowing to float a regional party by January 26 next year
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Cong comes calling in Fatorda
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Programme kick-starts to strengthen and rebuild party ahead of 2017 Assembly poll today
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For three-years-and-half now, the Congress leadership had virtually neglected the Fatorda block Congress after the party’s debacle in the 2012 Assembly poll. But, come Sunday and the Congress will kick-start its programme to strengthen and rebuild the party in Fatorda ahead of the 2017 Assembly election. The covert and overt moves by the Congress leadership to rebuild the party a constituency represented by the architect of the Goa Opposition Alliance, MLA Vijai Sardesai has once again brought Fatorda back on the center-stage and has also thrown up the moot question on the Alliance between the Congress and other local political players, reports Guilherme Almeida
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Fatorda had been the stronghold of the Congress in the 90’s ever since the new constituency was carved out in 1989 after the delimitation exercise. Between 1989-2002, the constituency was represented by former minister Luis Alex Cardozo, before the Congress fort crumbled in 2002 and the Lotus bloomed in the constituency for the first time. The reason: The BJP capitalised on the split in the secular vote resulting in the defeat of the Congress party. The situation remained unchanged in the following election in 2007 when the secular vote again witnessed a vertical split, decimating the Congress in its once stronghold.
Fears of history repeating itself in Fatorda and in other constituencies may again come to the fore again with the 2017 Assembly election less than 15 months away and the Congress unveiling plans to go all alone in the coming poll and the Independents vowing to float a regional party by January 26 next year.
When The Goan contacted AICC secretary Girish Chodankar, who has taken charge of Fatorda constituency, said that what is important for an alliance is the building of trust, mutual respect, sacrifice and dialogue. “The Congress cannot be blamed for strengthening Fatorda block. We are a political party with a base there. And, if any alliance has to happen, there ought to be a dialogue. But, in the instant case, Congressmen came to know of the alliance through the media," he added. He further added, “The baby is yet to be born, but someone wants to make an engagement. This shows that there’s an attempt to create an atmosphere of distrust and damage to the party."
Fatorda Congress leader and All India Mahila Congress general secretary Monica Dias, however, sounded a word of caution, by saying the Congress should take utmost care that it does not repeat the past mistake of disunity amongst themselves.
As far as the Fatorda MLA is concerned, she said “the public is with Vijai. Council election showed that people are with him. His popularity continues. This fact cannot be denied by me or any Congressmen nor by his political rival or by the media."
Monica has disclosed plans to brief Congress President Sonia Gandhi about the affairs of Congress party in Goa. “I will brief Madam Gandhi what is going in the party, the chamchagiri in the party and the fact that things are going from bad to worse," she said.
Commenting on the emerging political developments, political commentator, Adv Cleofato Coutinho said that public posturing by the Congress party is aimed at strengthening the party for bargaining. “Basically, I feel public posturing by the Congress leadership is aimed at better bargaining. I don’t think the Congress do not know that they can’t do it on their own," he added.
Coutinho, however, hastened to add that by going in for strengthening of the Fatorda block, the Congress wants to send a strong signal that the party means business. “But, this belligerent stand is not helpful in an alliance," he cautioned.
Cong leadership neglected Fatorda Block: Tito
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Fatorda Block Congress President Tito Cardozo, who is perceived having come close to Independent MLA Vijai Sardesai, has said that successive Congress leadership had only neglected the Fatorda block for reasons best known to them since the rout of the party’s candidate in the 2012 Assembly election.
He told The Goan on the eve of the entry of new members into the Fatorda block Congress, that the Congress leadership showed little or no interest to expand and strengthen the Fatorda block Congress since 2012. “I had knocked the doors of the party leadership, right from the tenure of then PCC chief Subhash Shirodkar to John Fernandes and the present leadership. The file pertaining to induction of new members was first submitted to Shirodkar and then to John Fernandes and the present leadership," he said, feigning ignorance why the party leadership did not act on his proposal to strengthen the Fatorda block since the last three-years-and-half.
Replying to a question, Tito said he has no objection if PCC chief Luizinho Faleiro and his team decides to reconstitute the Fatorda block Congress. “After Faleiro had taken over the reigns of office, he had suggested to me that I would be promoted to the District Congress Committee or the Pradesh Congress Committee, but I had told him that he may take any call vis à vis Fatorda block," he said.
When pointed out that he is now being perceived as more close to Vijai Sardesai than the Congress, Tito, who has got re-elected to the Margao Municipal Council on Vijai’s Fatorda Forward, shot back saying, “is it not a fact that our own Congress leaders had told us to work together with Vijai during the Lok Sabha election. Is it not the fact that some of our party leaders were working in tandem with Vijai from his residence during the election."
