Goa: BJP's campaign starts, Cong's yet to get off the ground

Even as BJP is midway through its `Jana Sampark Abhiyaan’ (contact with people) ahead of March 3 assembly polls, the election campaign of the ruling Congress is yet to start off. Goa BJP chief Laxmikant Parsekar said his party aimed to reach at least 1.5 lakh voters during the fortnight-long Abhiyaan, which has already completed its South Goa leg. The campaign is led by BJP’s star campaigner, Manohar Parrikar, likely to be the party’s choice for the Chief Minister’s post. BJP is yet to announce its list of candidates. But it has already promised allowance of Rs 1,000 per month to every woman it if comes to power. [caption id=“attachment_194844” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Reuters”]  [/caption] The party is in talks with Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) for pre-poll alliance. Congress, on the other hand, is yet to start the campaigning, although its campaign manager, Mauvin Godinho, broke a coconut to mark a start in his own constituency last week. Godinho said that full-fledged campaigning will start only after January 30, after the list of candidates is announced. Ruling coalition partners, Congress and NCP, are holding alliance talks in Delhi. “The delay in announcing the candidates helps us to control some dissidents. Congress has too many aspirants,” Godinho said. The time lost in deciding the candidates can be compensated by the time saved in controlling the damage done by dissidents, he said. PTI