Q: Over the last one year whenever Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s health had deteriorated, news did the rounds that Digambar Kamat will return back to the BJP fold. Comment.
Kamat: I really don’t know how the news originated and who was behind the news and whether it has come from the BJP or outside. There’s no truth in the news. So far, I have not been approached by the BJP leadership.
Q: There have been reports that you have established rapport with the top BJP leadership in Delhi. Reports say you even had a meeting with national BJP President Amit Shah.
Kamat: Let me clarify, I had no meeting with Amit Shah. And, neither I am in touch with the BJP leadership in Delhi. At the same time, however, I enjoy relations with everyone. Because of my nature, I don’t have any enemies or bitter relations with anyone.
Q: What role do you foresee for you in State politics in a post-Parrikar political scenario?
Kamat: I believe in the Almighty God and in my fate. I will get what is written for me and no one will be able to snatch it from me. I cannot predict my role in the post-Parrikar political scenario, but I am certain that I will get what is written for me in my destiny.
Q: Is Digambar happy in the Congress party?
Kamat: There’s no question of being happy or not. I have been working for the Congress party for the past many years. Since 2012, the Congress has been out of power, but we have been working for the party. The Congress party had made me the Chief Minister in 2007. The question of being happy or not does not arise.
Q: But an emotional Digambar on his birthday had lashed out at the Congress leadership for not standing by him in the Luis Berger case.
Kamat: Digambar will always speak the truth. And, I have been blunt when I speak the truth. I reiterate that the Congress leadership did not stand by me when the BJP government sent the Crime Branch, IT and ED sleuths to raid my house. I feel that the party should have come out in my support when the then government tormented me by foisting false case. My party leaders did not say anything, but my workers stood by me and I am obliged to them. Except Girish Chodankar and Shantaram Naik, none of the other party leaders came out to support me.
Q: Your workers seem unhappy over the way you have been sidelined in recent times.
Kamat: My workers have been my strength and I owe my victories in the elections to them. Many of them must have given vent to their feelings over the way I have been treated by the party leaders. And I cannot stop them from doing so.
Q: Even during the ongoing process of candidate selection, the Congress leaders did not consider your candidate for the S Goa ticket.
Kamat: Selection of candidates is not done by any individual. The candidature of Adv Cleofato Coutinho was suggested by many MLAs. Adv Coutinho was not my candidate, but I had endorsed his candidature since he was backed by the MLAs, who probably felt that a new face will fit in the scheme of things.
Q: As the Chief Campaign Manager how do you rate the prospects of the Congress party in the ensuing LS polls.
Kamat: The general perception amongst the people is that the atmosphere is quite favourable for the Congress to win the ensuing polls. But at the same time a favourable atmosphere alone will not fetch you votes unless the organization right at the booth level is geared up for the electoral battle.
Q: What do you have to say on the future of the Congress. Is there any possibility of the Congress coming back to power in the current term?
Kamat: All I can say is that Goa’s politics is uncertain. It is so uncertain that one cannot predict the way politics would evolve in the state.
