Goa Election 2017: Congress eyeing a comeback; targets 'super CM' Parrikar and BJP's flip-flops

The election campaign in Goa is reaching its fever pitch, prior to the polling on 4 February. While the BJP is banking heavily on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and defence minister and former chief minister of Goa Manohar Parrikar to deliver a consecutive victory for the saffron party, the party is facing multi-pronged issues. The BJP’s one-time ally MGP has left the ruling alliance to form its own with the Shiv Sena and Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM). The GSM is being led by Subhash Velingkar, the former Goa head of the RSS. Unhappiness over ticket distribution also adds to the list of woes for the party. The Congress, on the other hand, is trying to make a comeback in the 40-member Goa Vidhan Sabha, at a time when the party has seen its fortune dipping after the disastrous 2014 Lok Sabha election. [caption id=“attachment_3228242” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Congress leaders Digvijaya Singh and Sachin Pilot. Firstpost/Mihir Ved[/caption] The Congress’ campaign is being led by Digvijaya Singh, the Goa in-charge of the party. According to reports, despite the outside show of unity, the party is wrecked with factionalism. While one faction is led by former chief minister Digambar Kamat, other is being led by Goa Congress chief Luizinho Faleiro. On this issue, Digvijaya said, “In any political organisation there is bound to be some difference of opinion, as far as the Congress party is concerned, and on this issue, all decisions are taken by the AICC central election committee and we have acted upon the committee’s directions.” The party’s poll plank was made clear by Sachin Pilot, when he had addressed a press conference on 27 January. Pilot stressed on three main points to counter the ruling BJP. The party’s double speak on casinos, the interference of ‘super CM’ Parrikar, and the return of mining in the state. On the casino issue, Pilot promised that the party won’t betray the people of Goa. Pilot alleged that the BJP had flip-flopped over its promise of banning casino after coming to power. Pilot alleged that the party has allowed them to multiply the number of floating casinos in the state. The Congress, on the other hand, said that it is clear regarding its stance to put a full stop on casinos and will work out a solution. However, it is interesting to note that it was the Congress which allowed the casinos to boom during its rule in the 1990s and between 2007 and 2012. The BJP, after promising to end them, too allowed the casinos to operate employement issues. The other major point on which Congress seems to be hedging its political fortunes is the contentious mining issue. While the mining ban was lifted in January 2015, reports suggest it has remained low-key. The Congress party has promised to implement the Supreme Court’s guidelines on mining and make it sustainable for the development of the state. However, as David Devadas pointed out , “General outrage over the frenetic craze for the mining and export of iron ore played a great role in sweeping the Congress out of office in the previous round of Assembly election in 2012.” Parrikar’s ‘Super CM’ moniker has given the Congress enough fodder to attack the incumbent government. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi during his Mapusa rally on Monday bolstered the “super CM” argument and in a veiled attack on Parrikar remarked, “The reality is that your state is not governed in Goa, it is controlled in Delhi, via remote control… what Modiji wants, what your minister in Delhi wants, that’s what happens in Goa”. As Ajay Jha noted in his piece : “With Laxmikant Parsekar (Goa chief minister) around, Parrikar was assured that he had anointed someone who could not match his aura and stature, and would make room for him should be is forced to return to the state politics. This was to ultimately make Parrikar function as ‘Super Chief Minister of Goa’, a role he has taken to rather seriously in the run-up to Assembly polls”. Pilot had criticised Parrikar for not living up to the expectations and being disinterested in the Defence Ministry. He said that Parrikar has betrayed the veterans by failing to solve the One Rank One Pension (Orop) logjam. The ‘super CM’ taunt potentially undermines Parsekar’s position and shows the state BJP as being remote controlled from New Delhi. However, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) poses a challenge for the Congress. AAP under the leadership of Elvis Gomes promises to make Goa corruption free and is entering the poll fray as an alternative to the well-established parties. However, when Firstpost asked Digvijaya about the AAP threat, he chose to downplay the threat. “AAP is basically the B team of the BJP and they only concentrate to defeat the Congress party. Their target is to take away the secular votes of the Congress. Arvind Kejriwal only concentrates on Narendra Modi, never says anything about the RSS,” he said. (With videos and inputs from Mihir Ved)