FRIDAY, JULY 05, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: In an unexpected but positive turn of events for the hitherto depleted Congress, its victory in South Goa in the Lok Sabha elections had acted as a revival pill for a party, which now feels that a shot at power in 2027, is not a dream but achievable target.
Interestingly, after the conductor-led party was reduced to merely turning up at the elections to surrender itself to the BJP and not even allowed to form a government on time after getting most seats in 2017, the South Goa victory has given new confidence.
This is reflected in what the South Goa Member of Parliament-elect Captain Viriato Fernandes said just after his victory. “27 in 27 (2027). As soon as he said this someone from the Congress quipped, “No no, 30 in 27. We will have our allies.”
“The Prime Minister himself campaigned here. He campaigned in the Cortalim Assembly constituency. We don’t even have an MLA there. But we got a 3,000 vote lead from here”. Speaking to O Heraldo, Captain Fernandes said “We have more than 1 lakh votes in the non-Salcete areas. We campaigned here before the candidate was declared with just one theme- don’t allow the BJP to take your and your votes for granted Take a decision based on whether your lives have been improved and whether you live in a Goa which was better than earlier. We did nothing more. And that struck a chord. We now believe that in 2027, we can convince more people across all constituencies.
Former Calangute MLA Agnelo Fernandes said, “Every time people of Goa have given Congress a boost but it is the leaders who have messed it up by selling the tickets and giving them to defectors. Due to this people lose faith. It has happened too many times. You cannot bring someone who is ideologically different from the Congress. A person who is ideologically different should not have a place in the Congress party,” he said pointing to the admission of former minister Michael Lobo, who later defected to BJP.
GPCC senior vice president M K Shaikh claimed that the victory in Lok Sabha election has given morale to the party workers. “Our party workers are enthused and we will work out a strategy as how to reorganise the party and make it battle-ready for 2027 Assembly elections."
"We already believe in grooming new leaders, who can take responsibilities at State-level in future,” Shaikh said.
Goa Pradesh Mahila Congress (GPMC) President Beena Naik said, “Whatever majority we have been able to garner, it itself is a reflection of what the people of India think about Congress and the allies. We will try to form the next government and try to deliver.
The party itself will have a combination of the senior people, elderly people, experienced people as well as the young blood. It will be combination of the two. The senior people using their experience will guide the young leaders, who will march ahead in a much more energetic way.”
GPCC Vice President Sunil Kawathankar said “People of South Goa have voted for the Congress completely rejecting the dictatorial and divisive way of politics. They have also rejected Prime Minister Narendra Mod. I am sure we will not only be a challenge to the BJP in the 2027 Assembly elections but we will form the government,” he said.
Former GPMC president Dr Pramodini Salgaocar said, “The party will of course emerge as a threat to the BJP as the mandate in South Goa Parliamentary constituency will boost our cadre who have been on the ground and working.
