Meet turns stormy as Congress reviews election debacle

PANAJI: Congress functionaries went into a huddle on Saturday to review the party’s dismal performance in the assembly byelections, and to identify why the party failed to gain ground in the North Goa Lok Sabha constituency.
A meeting of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) held at the opposition leader’s official residence at Altinho, Panaji, turned stormy as MLAs took stock of the drubbing in the polls. State Congress president Girish Chodankar, however, skipped the meeting.
While the party has reason to rejoice over its victory in Panaji, MLAs and Congressmen feel accountability has to be fixed for the party’s failure to capitalise on resentment against the BJP-led government in the state.
Congress MLA Atanasio Monserrate won the Panaji constituency defeating his BJP rival, while former chief minister Francisco Sardinha won the South Goa Lok Sabha seat. Congress tasted defeat in Mandrem, Mapusa and Shiroda.
“Somebody should take responsibility for the failure and changes need to happen,” a senior Congress legislator said.
MLAs feel a delay in announcing candidate names, failure to gauge the mood of voters and the inability to strike strategic alliances before the April 23 elections cost the party crucial votes.
“We had an evaluation meeting to see how we won in some places and to also ascertain the reasons for our losses. We lost three bypolls, though two were BJP constituencies,” St Cruz MLA Antonio Fernandes said.
Senior Congress functionaries also said party members needed to sort out differences within the various factions in the party. Immediate steps to address the party’s weaknesses and strategies to recover lost ground also need to be taken, said Congress workers.
“There is no better time than now to take stock and re-organise ourselves to take on upcoming electoral and other challenges. There is no time for complacency and lethargy, the time to start is now,” Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginald Lourenco said.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a party MLA said Congress leaders need to keep their “personal egos aside” and understand the necessity for alliance partners.
Assembly elections will next be held in Goa in 2022.