Congress bid to forge opposiyion alliance may rattle BJP in Goa

BELAGAVI: The ruling BJP in Goa, which has been able to bolster its position ahead of the assembly elections in the coastal state early next year, will have a challenging task on hand with the Congress trying to forge an alliance of opposition parties.

The BJP, which formed the government in 2017 by roping in legislators from other parties, was able to consolidate its position in the past three years, and several leaders are confident that the party will retain power. The opposition Congress, though, has been in a shambles in Goa, despite emerging as the single largest party in the last assembly elections.

Ever since the exodus of its legislators to the BJP in 2019, the party has been struggling to marshal its forces. Senior Congress leader and former Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat told TNIE that the party was working out strategies to take all regional and opposition parties into confidence. The Congress has already had tied up with Goa Forward Party, which has three MLAs in the 40-member assembly, and is keen to join hands with other parties -- Trinamool Congress, Aam Aadmi Party and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party. Kamat, who was in New Delhi to meet party leaders on Saturday, said attempts were on to forge an alliance with regional parties. 

According to senior journalist Kishore Naik Gaonkar from Goa, the Congress will not be able to make any impact unless it allies with the TMC, AAP, GFP, MGP, to take on the BJP. “The Congress has no potential leader to be projected as CM candidate, nor has it been able to ensure unity in the Goa Congress,’’ he adds. Former CM Pratapsingh Rane is the only leader with the potential to rebuild the Congress, which is still in a state of confusion and unable to set its house in order, said Gaonkar. A section of Congress leaders feel that national leaders of the Congress, TMC and AAP should hold talks at the highest level to forge a grand alliance ahead of the polls.

According to sources, the BJP will certainly win the polls if the Congress, TMC and AAP contest elections separately, as both the TMC and AAP will eat into the Congress’ traditional vote share in most of the 40 assembly segments.Political analysts feel the BJP is expected to field “winnable’’ candidates in most of the constituencies and may drop many sitting legislators this time.