The new legislative assembly saw Digambar Kamat take up the role of an acting Leader of Opposition even as the Congress failed to fill the vacancy with party legislators failing to arrive at a consensus on the coveted post. Apparently, the only two names in contention are Kamat and Calangute MLA Michael Lobo. The question is, why this delay, one which caused an unnecessary embarrassment of having to go into the Legislative Assembly session without officially appointing one. The indecisiveness stares right in the face of Congress against the promise it held out on the eve of the results.
If BJP had failed to reach a consensus on leadership and needed over ten days to decide on Pramod Sawant, the Congress is no different. In fact, this is bizarre, against the understanding that was given by the party leadership that the Congress Legislative Party leader will be elected within five minutes of the declaration of results. It is now 20 days and the party is still undecided.
The division within Congress over CLP leadership is a clear indication that there are undercurrents at play. These are signs that the party rank is still at loggerheads and interventions of central leaders have not helped. It may be recalled that recently Congress high command deputed AICC observer Rajani Patil to take stock of the situation and report to the high command on leadership issues. While maintaining that the high command will decide on the GPCC leadership, Rajani said that the CLP leader will be decided by the party legislators.
Ironically and surprisingly, Rajani’s assignment as an assessor was by itself questionable given the background that she had a role in the scrutiny of candidates. She, by virtue of being involved in the selection of candidates, cannot do justice to her role as a reviewer. This has not only clouded the seriousness of the ‘performance’ review but has put a question mark on the party leadership’s intent in charting out a new course and rebooting the party.
Moreover, the Congress drubbing, much against the expectations and poll calculations, only meant that both leadership and strategies have failed. In all fairness, one would expect those at the helm to step aside in the larger interest of the party and let new leadership take over. The very fact that there is a deadlock over CLP leadership indicates that the party is still divided from within. Factionalism prevails. This does not bode well for Congress in the near course, even if the high command intervenes with a choice of its own.
We reiterate that the immediate need for Congress is to shed the baggage of the past and start afresh. Going ahead, the single most concern should be over the party losing its hold over the minority vote bank as seen in the 2022 poll, a trend that could deal a telling blow to the party’s electoral fortunes in future. If the high command seeks to resurrect the party from the current depths of despair, then it has to try out a new formula, not a failed one. The logic of experience paying off may not hold good all the time.
