MARGAO
Can the proposed grand alliance of opposition parties, mooted by Goa Forward and endorsed by Trinamool Congress, take shape when the battle lines are almost drawn in minority Salcete, wherein as many as eight Assembly seats are at stake?
The proposal seemed to have not gone down well with Congress workers as well as TMC leaders. Barring Goa Forward Chief Vijai Sardesai, who will be seeking re-election from Fatorda with seat-sharing understanding with the Congress, the mahagathbandhan proposal seemed to have not cut much ice with local players.
In fact, Congress leaders and workers say the TMC and Goa Forward should just forget the idea of the grand alliance if that means conceding any of the seats in Salcete, other than Fatorda, which the party is ready to leave for the Goa Forward.
That’s not all. Salcete-based party leaders question the logic and rationale behind the grand alliance offer when these very parties have sought to weaken the Congress in its bastion by weaning away party leaders over the last two-three months.
In the eight Assembly seats in Salcete, the Goa Forward has laid its claim for the lone seat of Fatorda, which is being represented by party chief, MLA Vijai Sardesai.
In the remaining seven seats, TMC has made its presence felt across the taluka and has emerged as the key challenger for Congress in a couple of seats, including Benaulim, Navelim and Curtorim. The Mamata Didi-led party has not left a stone unturned to make inroads in Cuncolim, Nuvem, Velim and now Margao, besides Fatorda.
Congressmen in private have a question or two for the TMC and Goa Forward, whether these parties want Congress to concede these seats, which has been the strongholds of the principal opposition party over the years.
“The Congress has shortlisted several candidates ready in these constituencies. When we are bracing up to unveil our candidates, these parties cannot come with an alliance offer on the plea that all parties should unite to defeat BJP”, remarked a senior Congress leader.
“Unlike the TMC and Goa Forward, the Congress has a pan-Goa presence. Do these parties expect the Congress to concede our seats everywhere in the state?" the leader added.
Churchill against TMC aligning with Congress
MARGAO:
Trinamool Congress leader and Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao on Saturday has questioned the logic of forming a mahagathbandhan of opposition parties when the Congress in the past had spurned all offers of an alliance of like-minded parties to fight the BJP.
“Why we want an alliance with the Congress. I am not in favour of the TMC aligning with Congress. I have not been briefed by the party yet. But, I am of the strong opinion that there ought to be no alliance with the Congress, which had in the past rejected offers of an alliance of like-minded parties”, he said.
Churchill pointed out that the TMC has started its campaign in a big way in Benaulim and Navelim and is even in a position to win the Margao seat in the ensuing polls.
“When we had in the past offered an alliance with the Congress, leaders such as Digambar Kamat and others had opposed the same”, he said.
When the media questioned him what would be his stand in the event the party strikes an alliance with Congress, Churchill shot back saying let’s cross the bridge when it comes.
New parties must realise only Congress can defeat BJP: Girish
MARGAO:
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) Chief Girish Chodankar on Saturday sent a message loud and clear to those batting for a mahagathbandhan of opposition parties that one cannot fight the BJP by weakening the Congress.
Without taking names, Girish, in fact, said these parties, which had weaned away leaders from the Congress, should send the leaders back to the party, before talking of a grand alliance.
“These new parties should realise that only the Congress can defeat the BJP. There’s no other party that is in a position to defeat the BJP. These new parties may have tried to destroy the Congress by taking away our leaders, but the party is still strong on the ground with the support of the workers and the people”, he said, while speaking to the media outside the South Goa district Congress office.
He added: “These parties have taken Congress leaders in a bid to weaken our party. If these parties now feel the Congress can defeat the BJP, they should send our leaders back to the Congress if they are serious in taking on the BJP”.
He, however, welcomed these new parties if they are ready to support Congress in the coming election.
“Those who want to support the Congress are free to do so since we have an inbuilt strength to fight the BJP. Though these parties have taken our leaders, the Congress workers have the confidence to fight the BJP. These parties should realise that they cannot weaken the Congress if they want to defeat the BJP”, he added.
To a question on alliance with Goa Forward, Girish said the Congress will have a seat-sharing arrangement with the Goa Forward, adding the arrangement will be in public domain soon.
