Congress factionalism clouds ZP poll preparations

Uncertainty continues as the Congress Legislative wing and party organisation struggle to agree on candidates for the ZP polls.

MARGAO
As suspense continues within the Congress camp over the finalisation of candidates for the December 20 Zilla Panchayat polls, factionalism appears to have taken centre stage, with rival groups lobbying intensely behind the scenes to push their preferred candidates.
Sources say the ongoing alignment and realignment of factions within the Congress has also affected the party’s proposed alliance with the Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP) and the Goa Forward Party (GFP). Different factions are reportedly working either in favour of—or against—the alliance proposal with the two regional parties.
While the Congress has announced its candidates for the Curtorim and Velim seats in Salcete, where as many as nine seats are up for grabs, unanimity remains elusive for the crucial constituencies of Benaulim, Colva, Davorlim and Nuvem.
Adding to the uncertainty is the lack of clarity over GFP’s claim to the Raia seat, with one Congress faction opposing any move to concede the constituency to the regional outfit.
Party sources acknowledge that factional realignments within the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee—both on candidate selection and alliance strategy with RGP and GFP—have complicated decision-making. Workers and leaders from opposing factions privately accuse each other of “match-fixing” with the ruling dispensation. One faction has accused the party leadership of favouring an alliance with GFP while sidelining RGP.
A senior party leader admitted that the GPCC leadership and the Congress Legislative wing are “not on the same page” regarding candidate selection and the proposed alliances. “Leaders of various factions prefer to hold hands in public to project unity, but behind the scenes they are pulling each other’s legs, each trying to secure nominations for their own people,” remarked a Congress insider.
Benaulim and Colva
In Benaulim and Colva, candidates favoured by local party workers—Luiza Rodrigues in Benaulim and Venicia Rodrigues in Colva—have already covered significant ground in anticipation of receiving the party’s nomination for the December 20 polls.
However, lack of consensus among senior leaders has delayed the official announcement, even as the Aam Aadmi Party launched its campaign nearly two weeks ago.
In Benaulim, a section of the party leadership is strongly backing former three-time Zilla Panchayat member Maria Rebello, with senior leaders rallying behind her candidature. Meanwhile, workers’ choice Luiza Rodrigues has already begun her door-to-door campaign, hoping the Pradesh Election Committee—set to meet later this week—will endorse her name.
The party is also facing a similar situation in the neighbouring Colva ZP seat. Two Congress factions are working behind the scenes in support of their respective candidates for the ticket. While Venicia Carvalho has kick-started her campaign across the constituency, the ticket claim made by former two-time South Goa ZP chairperson and four-time Colva ZP member Nelly Rodrigues seemed to be the reason behind the delay in unveiling the candidate for the Colva seat.
Navelim and Davorlim
When the Congress welcomed three-time Navelim Zilla Panchayat member Cipru Cardozo back into the party earlier this year, political observers speculated that the move aimed to strengthen the Congress in Navelim and reclaim the Assembly seat from the BJP in 2027.
The Navelim Assembly constituency comprises two ZP seats—Navelim and Davorlim. Cipru has held the Navelim seat for three consecutive terms, while the BJP has retained Davorlim for the last two terms.
Sources say that to ensure a Congress win in both seats, the group led by Cipru has proposed her niece for the Navelim seat and Danny Fernandes, the incumbent Aquem-Baixo Sarpanch, for Davorlim. The camp has reportedly assured the leadership that both seats can be brought into the Congress fold. The Davorlim seat plays host to a significant presence of Muslim and Scheduled Tribe voters and may play a decisive role in the election. Against this backdrop, the local party leadership has cautioned the state party leadership to take the right decision considering the fact that the BJP has a sizeable vote in the Davorlim ZP constituency.
However, while one Congress faction is willing to concede the Navelim seat to the Cipru camp, it has put forward its own preferred candidate for Davorlim. In response, the Cipru group has conveyed to the leadership that the party either accept both of its proposed candidates or decide on nominees for both seats.
Sancoale and Cortalim
The Congress drew a blank in the Sancoale and Cortalim seats in the 2020 ZP election, with the BJP securing Sancoale and Independent Anton Vaz retaining the Cortalim seat.
Although the party has identified these seats for focused attention, factional disagreement continues over candidate selection. One faction has backed a former ZP member for the Sancoale seat, while in Cortalim too, rival factions have proposed their own preferred contenders.
A senior Congress leader has cautioned the party to act prudently, warning that Sancoale and Cortalim cannot be taken lightly if the Congress hopes to return to power in the South Goa Zilla Panchayat after more than a decade.