the goan I network
VASCO
With rival party leaders holding parleys ahead of Lok Sabha elections and by-polls in three constituencies of the State, speculations run thick and fast when leaders of different parties are seen together at events.
This was no different when presidents of two political parties, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) President Girish Chodankar and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) State President Jose Philip D’Souza met over a Silent March in Vasco to oppose coal pollution on Thursday.
What also drew the attention of curious onlookers was the similar attire of both Chodankar and D’Souza at the rally, as both were engaged in a close conversation and got along like long lost friends.
Rumours were quickly spread across Vasco city that the two-time MLA and former minister Jose Philip D’Souza was likely to join the Congress party sometime soon.
Sources admitted that a lot of political talk did take place between the two leaders, as they spoke at length on the current affairs and issues plaguing Vasco and the general political scenario of the State.
“Discussions of having D’Souza as a Congress candidate from Vasco constituency have been doing the rounds for quite some time and efforts are underway to rope in DSouza into the Congress prior to the LS elections, especially since an alliance between Congress and NCP had failed in 2017 assembly elections causing unrest in both parties,” said a source.
“The Congress has not won even once in the assembly election from Vasco Constituency since 1989 and the Congress is desperately trying to make a comeback in the constituency.”
“Equally interesting is that on both occasions when D’Souza won in the 1999 and 2007 assembly polls, Congress was in power at the State and D’Souza was elevated as minister,” the source added.
Incidentally, this is the second time the two leaders have met, the earlier event being a rain dance organised by NCP supporters in Kharewado.
At that event, Chodankar was the chief guest and GPCC Mahila President Pratima Coutinho was the guest of honour and Chodankar had showered words of appreciation on D’Souza’s leadership, drawing speculation that efforts were being made to get D’Souza to join the Congress.
Alliance a must to defeat BJP: Jose Philip
VASCO: Choosing to neither deny nor confirm the rumours, NCP State President Jose Philip D’Souza said an alliance of like-minded parties was important ahead of the Lok Sabha elections and subsequently during assembly elections, with the sole intention of defeating the BJP.
“It is true I have a cordial relationship with GPCC President Girish Chodankar but since I am state president of a national Party (NCP), I cannot join the Congress as I have a responsibility of the NCP party affairs in Goa.”
“However, it also depends on my voters and supporters as to what step I should be taking in the future so as to serve them. If they insist that I join another political party, I may take a call. But as of now, an alliance between like-minded parties is the priority. Every time the Congress rejected the alliance and fielded its candidate in Vasco since 1989, the BJP ended up wing the Vasco seat,”said D’Souza.
