PANAJI
Always eager to bait his opponents on Twitter, Vijai Sardesai appears to be on a completely silent mode on the social media platform for more than a month now.
But recent comments, including ones made by two MLA candidates from his Goa Forward Party, Deepak Kalangutkar from Mandrem and Santosh Kumar Sawant from Mayem, appear to indicate a falling out between Sardesai’s party and the Congress, which were in a pre-poll alliance in their disastrous poll campaign.
Addressing a press conference in Panaji, both Kalangutkar and Sawant slammed recent comments by North Goa District Congress President Vijay Bhike doubting the credentials of Goa Forward in the context of the alliance, but both leaders from Sardesai’s party did provide a clear hint that not everything is hunky-dory between two parties.
When asked if the pre-poll alliance between the Congress and the GFP will continue in the post-poll scenario, with the BJP inching towards forming a government, Kalangutkar said: “The party president (Sardesai) will decide”.
Santosh Kumar Sawant’s response was equally non-emphatic.
“The alliance is on for now,” Sawant said.
Doubts about the continuity of the alliance have crept up in recent times, especially in wake of Sardesai’s radio silence, as well as comments made by leaders from both the Congress and the BJP.
Political circles are also abuzz about the possibility of the Goa Forward merging with the BJP, although no politician from either party has come on record to that effect.
Congress’ Michael Lobo on Friday even went as far as advising Sardesai to think well before charting his political course during a press conference at the Congress House in Panaji.
“There was no loss. GF won one seat and lost two. In the future party leadership will decide, but I think that Vijai Sardesai should take a good decision now and (about) the future,” Lobo said on Friday, when he was asked if the alliance with the Goa Forward actually benefited the Congress or took a toll on it.
After the 2017 assembly polls, Lobo had taken credit for facilitating the coalition of the BJP with the Goa Forward Party.
Lobo’s warning to Sardesai was not missed out on by the BJP, whose MLA Subhash Phaldesai on Friday -- soon after the Congress press conference -- pointed to the emerging differences between the Congress and GFP.
“They have even warned or issued an appeal to Vijai. When you do not have a connect with your own coalition partner, it is disgusting. This shows their (Congress) frustration,” Phaldesai said.
