I supported the Congress in the last Lok Sabha election mainly because of Captain Viriato Fernandes. It is unfortunate that the opposition parties are still not united for the upcoming Zilla Parishad elections and continue to fight among themselves. I seriously question whether the Congress leadership truly wants to win elections. In the last Assembly polls, the party made major mistakes. There was a delay in announcing candidates, tickets were given to leaders with poor public image who later defected, and proper process was ignored in some constituencies, including Benaulim. One would expect the Congress to learn from these failures, but there seems to be no real change. Other parties like the BJP, AAP, GF and RGP are working aggressively, while the Congress appears slow and uninterested. There are some sincere Congress workers, but the main decision-makers must be held responsible for the state of the party. Many Goans want an alternative to the present political ideology, but the Congress way of functioning is not helping. At times, it even feels as if some leaders are compromised. If the aim is real change in the Zilla Parishad elections, better sense must prevail. Otherwise, the same mistakes will be repeated in the 2027 Assembly elections. If that happens, Goans must demand a complete change in the Congress leadership.
Arwin Mesquita, Colva
