MARGAO
Congress’ debacle in party stronghold Salcete may call for serious introspection as the party’s slump in the seat tally in the minority taluka, where as many as eight seats were at stake, has thrown up a host of questions for the party leadership to handle.
The Congress leadership was quick to attribute the loss in its stronghold to the division of anti-BJP vote and the rise of Revolutionary Goans party. Party insiders, however, insist the party should go into an introspection mode, primarily to find out why the minority areas have preferred the nascent party and voted for other players in the fray instead of rallying behind the party.
In fact, a host of questions have come to stare at the Congress leadership including Opposition leader Digambar Kamat and GPCC president Girish Chodankar over the party’s poor showing in Salcete when the duo hails from the taluka, once considered the party’s power house.
Of the eight seats at stake, the Congress could manage to retain the seats of Margao, represented by Kamat, Cuncolim and Nuvem, where party heavyweight Aleixo Sequeira has successfully made a comeback after a decade.
Party’s loss in Velim, Navelim and Curtorim has only brought to the fore the moot question whether the present leadership failed to inspire confidence amongst the minorities, in the absence of any minority leader worth its name in the Congress ranks, a situation which must have paved the way for the core voter-base to look out for other options.
That brings to the fore another moot point “ whether the absence of a minority leader at the helm of the party organisation or the Legislative party had an impact on the ground. And, whether the party’s move to reassure the minorities, though late, that the party does care for them, by nominating two minority leaders from Salcete, Aleixo Sequeira and Reginaldo Lourenco failed to cut much ice with the people.
In fact, this question will come to haunt the Congress leadership again and again why a leader from the minority community was not considered for the posts of GPCC and CLP to send a clear message that the party cares for the core voter base, more so, when repeated demands were made in certain quarters to revamp the party with a change in leadership.
That’s not all. Unlike the past, party leaders such as Luizinho Faleiro, Churchill Alemao, Reginaldo Lourenco, all party local satraps were on the other side of the battle. Even South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha, who had been a strong votary of a change in GPCC leadership, but was repeatedly snubbed by the State and central leadership, only made his token presence during the campaign in Salcete.
Another question that may come to haunt the Congress leadership pertains to the distribution of tickets. A perception has been gaining ground both within the Congress and outside in Salcete that tickets were fixed and distributed to candidates by people who have set their eyes on the Chief Minister’s post.
Many in the Congress believe that Reginaldo Lourenco’s offer to return back to the party fold at the eleventh hour after he quit the Trimamool Congress was blocked by certain leaders, as they harboured doubts whether the three-time former MLA would stand by them in their bid to occupy the CM’s post.
Nomination of candidates, who had joined the party just a couple of months ago, was the cause of unrest amongst the party rank and file in constituencies such as Velim, Navelim and Benaulim, besides constituencies beyond Salcete, triggering anti-party activities.
Revolutionary Goans party’s inroads in the minority belt has also thrown up a host of questions too. One, did the party leadership fail to assess the pulse on the ground, more so when the youth were disenchanted by the malaise of defections and were looking forward for new options. And, whether the party had taken any measures to wean the youth back to the party fold and contain the damage.
Says a senior Congress leader: “The party should find out why Saxttikars have opted for AAP in Benaulim and Velim, Reginaldo Lourenco in Curtorim and why it could not channelise the vote in favour of the Navelim candidate, resulting in a split in the votes, that facilitated the Lotus to bloom.”
