The BJP was forced on the defensive along with the five Congress legislators who were on the threshold of switching loyalties as Margao constituency MLA Digambar Kamat and Calangute constituency MLA Michael Lobo failed to dock the defection boat. In fast-paced developments spread across Saturday and Sunday, Congress narrowly managed to save itself from another defection disaster similar to that of 2019.
The foremost question that emerges from the development is, why would the BJP show such desperation to acquire Congress MLAs when the government is in a comfortable majority? Was this solely intended to demolish the Opposition? Or is there a story within the story in the BJP camp? Whatever the reasoning, and whatever the explanations that have emerged subsequently, the Congress legislators have exposed their inherent greed for power. A greed that is so voracious that the mandate of the people and the accompanying trust, and the promises before gods and goddesses become nugatory and void.
Congress may have thwarted moves of a split, but the leadership must understand that the battle against defections is far from over. The BJP is not going to stop at this hurdle, no matter this failure and criticism. Instead of hitting out at them, Congress needs to course-correct internally. Sacking the leader of the Opposition and requesting the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly for separate seating for both Digambar and Lobo, and Dinesh Rao tongue-lashing Digambar and Michael as ‘conspirators’ and ‘traitors’ are indicators that the party is not going to take defection moves lying down. The body language shows the apparent hurt, but can Rao or Wasnik, or even Sonia Gandhi guarantee a permanent fix to the defection trend that the party has gained notoriety for?
The challenge before the Congress leadership is to stay grounded and understand the intricacies of power-sharing that the BJP was trying to plot with the Congress faction, analyse the finer aspects and try not to take what ‘suspect leaders’ are saying at 'face value’. Failed negotiations coupled with a strange reluctance in the breakaway camp may have saved the day for the grand old party. Otherwise, this would have been a different story altogether, and the Congress leadership would be left licking the wounds of defections once again, and citing conspiracy theories.
The talk of being a ‘Congress loyalist’ that is doing the rounds of television and social media sounds pale at this moment and is far from convincing against what was unfolding on Sunday. That some have gone swearing loyalties again with a mind to salvage their dented reputation, while others are now calling Congress their family, is a different story. The Congress leadership has a lot to ponder.
While it is sad that BJP is trying to wipe out the Opposition and silence voices of dissent, it is also disgraceful that the party is trying to rope in leaders against whom its government is probing for illegalities. We hope democracy prevails.
