PANAJI
This photograph would be one for posterity.
Two of the most bitter political rivals in state politics, state presidents of the Goa Congress and the Goa Forward party, Girish Chodankar and Vijai Sardesai may well sit across the table and discuss the prospects of an alliance between two parties soon.
Speaking to reporters at a press conference in Panaji, Chodankar said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s photograph with Vijai Sardesai last week, which triggered a political storm, was only indicative of the Goa Forward’s support to the Congress ahead of the 2022 polls, but added that any talks of an alliance would be carried out by the state unit of the Congress party and Goa Forward leaders locally.
“Rahul Gandhi has posted a post on his Facebook where he has clearly stated that we welcome the decision of the Goa Forward to support Congress party. Whatever alliance and other issues will be locally discussed and decision taken,” Chodankar said, adding that some vested interests were keen on creating confusion over the photograph.
“Again and again, there is confusion. I do not know who is creating this confusion,” Chodankar said.
The absence of Chodankar, a fierce critic of Sardesai as well as the Goa Forward leader’s traditional rival in Fatorda, from the meeting of Goa Forward leaders, independent MLA Prasad Gaonkar and Rahul Gandhi in Delhi, had triggered speculation as to whether Chodankar was taken into confidence vis a vis the development.
The fact that Chodankar’s phone had been switched off since the meeting in Delhi on December 1, had also resulted in speculation about the state Congress president’s clout in his own party.
Chodankar, on Tuesday, however, claimed that the reason why his phone was switched off for a prolonged period was he was unwell.
“On the day our protests occurred near the Cortalim bridge, I had an infection and a cold and I could not speak continuously. So, my mobile was switched off completely and I was focussing on my health. Doctors had advised me not to speak a lot, so I had switched off my mobile,” Chodankar said.
The state Congress president also said that the Congress would announce its first list of candidates by this week or next, adding that the process of finalisation of the list was delayed on account of his ill-health.
Commenting on the possibility of a formal alliance between the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and the Trinamool Congress, Chodankar claimed that the Congress and the MGP do not share the same ideology.
“MGP and Congress cannot come together and fight elections. Our constituencies and ideologies, ours and MGP are different. Congress and MGP have never fought an election on an alliance. So, what the MGP does, why should we think about it,” Chodankar said.
