The first major sign of unity emerged in the Opposition space in the run-up to the Lok Sabha election as All India Congress Committee in-charge of Goa desk Manikrao Thakare addressed a press conference in Panaji in the presence of various other leaders across the political turf. The picture of unity bodes well for the big brother which is in direct clash with the BJP in what is expected to be a three-cornered contest.
The Congress will find the spring in its step with Aam Aadmi Party and Goa Forward Party, two major players, coming to the table along with smaller parties like NCP (Pawar faction) and Shiv Sena (UBT) playing along. On Wednesday, Thakare launched a blistering attack on the BJP government calling it autocratic and upsetting the general public. Also, the leader lashed out at RGP calling it a ‘B’ team of the BJP.
The Congress may have got a dream start as they expected, but the path ahead still remains challenging. Thakare has overplayed the unity despite knowing the fact that there is disunity within the party with warring factions simmering with discontent over the choice of candidates. The leader has hit out at the BJP for announcing one candidate, against the reality that the Congress is yet to make up its mind. Lecturing on candidates is misplaced when Thakare himself is evasive.
Instead of focussing too much on what the BJP is doing, or not doing, Thakare needs to introspect and strategise to repair the cracks within because these will certainly widen once the candidates are announced. History tells us that Congress has found it difficult to contain the fallouts of selections where probables have even walked out of the party or found recourse elsewhere. The biggest nightmare for every central leader has been to contain the damage.
The immediate priority for the Congress is to build a consensus within. The frontrunner may be standing South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha, but then Thakare will have to win the confidence of those opposed tooth and nail to his candidature. The party will have to shed all its baggage and show unity, and only then it could expect the larger alliance to be effective.
Another dilemma for the Congress could be the presence of RGP in the electoral fray ” both in the South and North. Lessons of Assembly elections haven't been learnt. Writing of the regional party could turn out to be a costly mistake yet again at the hustings. The sloganeering of the ‘B’ team has not worked in the past, but Thakare chooses to sing the same tune once again instead of re-strategising and blunting out the impact.
The impromptu move of the BJP to scout for women candidates may be a political ploy, but it seems to be working for them going by the reactions coming from the Congress. Eventually, picking candidates, whether women or men, is each party’s choice. Reacting to that strategy only exposes the anxiety in the opposition camp.
Nonetheless, the Congress has found the perfect ammo to go all guns blazing in South Goa, and it is to be seen how the grand old party navigates the electoral path and takes this journey forward.
