Grand alliance: Congress is a divided house

- 15 block committees favour grand alliance

- 15 want the party to decide

- 7 back merger of anti-BJP forces with the Congress

***

PANAJI

After a disastrous outing at the 2012 Assembly elections, the Congress Party is nursing hopes of a revival in its fortunes. The party has already begun the spade work and is working towards that target. But before it can proceed any further, the party will have to first decide on the issue of a grand alliance to defeat the BJP in the 2017 Assembly polls, wherein the Congress is a house divided.

Of the 37 block Congress committees contacted by The Goan over a period of three days, 15 blocks sided with the argument extended by Valpoi MLA Vishwajit Rane in favour of a grand alliance with non-BJP political elements.

Members of another 15 blocks preferred to place their faith in the party’s top brass, and seven voted in favour of a complete merger of all interested political outfits to form a formidable front under the banner of the Congress.

A meeting of all the block Congress committees has been convened on Monday, July 18, where Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Luizinho Faleiro will face a tough task in ironing out the differences.

The 15 blocks supporting the idea of a grand alliance overwhelmingly include constituencies presently represented by the Bharatiya Janata Party. However, the list also includes Vishwajit’s Valpoi, independent MLA Naresh Sawal’s Bicholim, Mauvin Godinho’s Dabolim and Chandrakant ‘Babu’ Kavalekar’s Quepem.

Although members of these block committees agree that a grand alliance is the need of the hour if Congress still nurses any hopes of returning to power, members differed greatly over the manner in which the grand old party should forge one.

Interestingly, of these 15 Block Congress Committees, six defined it as a ‘Congress-led gathbandhan’. Seven blocks viewed the alliance as being more Bihar-like.

“If those coming together agree on a one-point agenda of defeating the ruling party, this plan might just work out,” said a member of Sanvordem block who did not wish to be named.

While consolidation of votes was viewed as a plus point, many including the blocks in Panaji, Dabolim and Quepem feared that the party vote bank might get diluted over time.

Interestingly, members of Valpoi, Dabolim and Quepem Blocks, all three constituencies represented by the Congress, were of the opinion that while they could retain their seats with or without an alliance, a ‘mahagathbandhan’ would result in a landslide victory for the Congress.

Seven blocks, which stood firm in favour of a formal merger, sought to call the bluff of all political elements seeking an alliance. Members of the Nuvem block committee demanded to know why this level of urgency to forge a grand alliance was never displayed by the leaders, who have found their voice only now.

“If their sole agenda is to defeat the BJP, they should merge irrespective of a guaranteed ticket,” said a member of Benaulim Block Congress, who did not wish to be named.

Porvorim block also sided with the ‘merger’ group while commenting on the hazards posed by an alliance with independent MLAs. “Consider merger instead and have a Congress versus BJP-MGP battle in 2017,” stated one member.

Not surprisingly, all the seven blocks observed that those making the pitch for a grand alliance are former Congressmen and sought to know what stops them from returning to the party fold while holding their heads high.

The Congress block in the Chief Minister’s constituency was firm that merger should be the only offer. It was pointed out that the block committees are in the process of selecting potential candidates to be sent to the district committees by July 31.

“The GPCC president has entrusted this great responsibility and respect to blocks for the very first time. Why would we abdicate this responsibility to unknown persons?” stated a member of Mandrem Block.

The underlying concern over candidate selection was evident in every block committee. The Porvorim block emphasized this argument by stating that an alliance link of non-Congress candidates with Congress party workers. “Why transfer Congress votes to them? An alliance will be gross injustice to cadres,” said a member.

Not so surprisingly, the ‘aye’s are a formidable group comprising 15 block committees who refused to toe the line of the GPCC, the most vocal being Fatorda block Congress, with two members categorically stating that if Congress decides to align with or allow the entry of Fatorda independent MLA Vijai Sardesai, the entire block would resign in protest. “He has always spoken negatively about the party which we have given our lives for,” one Congressman from Fatorda stated.

***

(piechart)

In favour of an alliance: 15

Those who want the party to decide: 15

In favour of merger: 7

Constituencies with no block panels: 2

Unavailable: 1

Pernem Mandrem Poriem

Bicholim Mayem Sanquelim

Tivim Mapusa Saligao

Aldona Porvorim Calangute

Siolim Marcaim St Cruz