News Analysis India

Tag: Goa Polls 2022

  • Congress in more mess? Three days over since Goa poll results, party yet to decide its legislature leader

    By PTI

    PANAJI: The Congress in Goa is yet to take a decision on its legislature party leader, even after three days of the announcement of the state Assembly election results.

    According to sources, the Goa Congress unit has not held a single meeting after it failed to reach the majority mark of 21 in the 40-member Assembly.

    The Congress got 11 seats, its ally Goa Forward Party (GFP) secured one seat, while the BJP bagged 20 seats.

    Earlier, a senior Congress leader had said the Congress-GFP alliance will name its leader immediately after the election results are out.

    However, talking to PTI on Sunday, a Congress leader on condition of anonymity said, We are yet to get any invitation for a meeting after the counting.”

    Congress MLA-elect Michael Lobo said a decision on the legislature party leader would be taken “at the right time”.

    The Congress will have to inform the Assembly about their leader when the session is called for a confidence vote for the chief minister,’ he said.

    While Goa Congress chief Girish Chodankar was not available for comments, another senior party leader claimed the elected members were divided between Digambar Kamat and Michael Lobo as their leader.

    Lobo denied lobbying for the post of Leader of the Opposition.

    I am not lobbying for any post. If the party high command gives me the responsibility, I am ready to accept it, he said.

    Former CM Kamat was elected from Margao Assembly segment, while Lobo won from Calangute seat.

    Lobo, a former BJP minister, quit the saffron party and joined the Congress in January this year, before the elections were held last month.

  • Day after poll results, Goa cabinet decides to recommend dissolution of Assembly on March 14

    By PTI

    PANAJI: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, whose party BJP has won 20 out of 40 seats in the state assembly polls, on Friday held a meeting of his cabinet, during which it was decided to recommend dissolution of the House on March 14.

    State Health Minister Vishwajit Rane told this to reporters after the cabinet meeting. “We met to thank the people for a resounding victory of the party. During the meeting, a resolution was moved to thank the people of the state. The meeting chaired by CM Sawant decided to recommend to the state governor dissolution of the House on Monday,” he said.

    The tenure of the present assembly is scheduled to end on 15 March. Talking to reporters after the meeting, state Revenue Minister Jeniffer Monserratte said the cabinet will also be dissolved on Monday.

    Overcoming anti-incumbency, the BJP on Thursday emerged as the single largest party in the coastal state by winning 20 assembly seats, just one shy of the halfway mark, and quickly enlisted the support of regional outfit Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and three Independent MLAs to form its government for a third consecutive term.

    The party is yet to stake claim to form the government. Its central observers are expected to arrive in Goa on Friday, after which the new legislature wing will meet to decide its leader.

    BJP’s Goa election in-charge Devendra Fadanavis had told reporters last evening that the decision on leadership and timing of swearing-in of the new cabinet will be decided by the party’s parliamentary committee.

  • Goa polls: Congress decides to act swiftly to stake claim for government formation

    By PTI

    PANAJI: Congress veteran P Chidambaram held a meeting with the Goa Assembly poll candidates of his party and those of ally GFP on Wednesday night, where it was decided that the alliance will name its leader immediately after the election results are out and stake claim for government formation, sources said.

    The decision is meant to avoid a repeat of the 2017 fiasco when the Congress had failed to form a government in Goa despite scoring the maximum number of seats.

    Polling for the 40-member House was held on February 14 and the counting of votes will be taken up on Thursday.

    Most exit polls have predicted a hung House in the tiny coastal state, leading the political parties to formulate their strategies keeping in mind different post-result scenarios.

    The Congress had contested the election on 37 seats, while ally Goa Forward Party (GFP) had fielded three candidates.

    The Congress, which had kept its candidates in a luxury hotel at Bambolim near Panaji in North Goa since Tuesday evening, shifted them to another resort in Margao town on Wednesday evening.

    This resort is owned by one of the party candidates.

    Sources said that Chidambaram, who is Congress’s Goa election in-charge, held a meeting with the candidates of the Congress and the GFP, which was also attended by Karnataka Congress president D K Shivkumar, who is currently camping in Goa.

    During the meeting, it was decided to elect the leader of the group immediately after the results are out and stake claim to form the government with state Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai.

    “The appointment with the governor would be sought immediately after the results are declared. We don’t want to commit the mistakes that happened after the 2017 election results,” a senior party office-bearer said.

    Talking to reporters, Shivkumar said that all the candidates are together and there is no worry of any split.

    “BJP is known for its habit of poaching. That is why we have asked all our candidates to stay in a common hotel,” he said.

    In 2017, despite winning 17 seats, the Congress could not come to power as the BJP, which had bagged 13 seats, allied with some independents and regional parties to form the government under the leadership of its stalwart Manohar Parrikar.

    The BJP eyes a third consecutive term in office.

  • ‘Open to post-poll alliance with non-BJP parties’: Congress extends olive braches to AAP, Trinamool ahead of Goa results

    By PTI

    PANAJI: With the date for the Goa Assembly poll results nearing, the Congress has said it is open to a post-poll alliance with parties other than the BJP to form the next government, if it does not get a majority on its own.

    Elections to the 40-member Goa Assembly were held on February 14 and the results would be declared on March 10.

    Talking to reporters on Sunday, All India Congress Committee’s Goa desk in-charge Dinesh Gundu Rao said if his party falls short of the majority mark of 21, it is open to seeking the support of outfits like the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) to form government.

    The Congress had contested the election in alliance with the Goa Forward Party.

    Besides, the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC had tied-up with the MGP, Goa’s oldest regional outfit, before the polls.

    Rao said after the final result is out, the Congress Legislature Party will waste no time in electing its leader.

    If the Congress gets majority, “we will stake claim to form government the same day”, he said.

    The Congress had won 17 seats in the 2017 state Assembly elections, while the BJP bagged 13.

    But, the saffron party formed government by quickly forging an alliance with some other parties and independents.

    Over the last five years, a number of Congress MLAs quit the party and its strength in the House was reduced to two.

  • Congress will form next government in Goa, says Michael Lobo

    By PTI

    PANAJI: Congress leader and former Goa minister Michael Lobo on Thursday expressed confidence that the party will form the government in the state by dislodging the BJP after the Assembly poll results come out on March 10, and dismissed speculations that the Sonia Gandhi-led party will split in the coastal state.

    Addressing a press conference in the presence of Leader of Opposition Digmbar Kamat and Goa Congress chief Girish Chodankar, Lobo also dismissed rumours that the top BJP leadership was in touch with him to switch over after the results next week.

    “If the results are out by 3 pm on March 10, the Congress will form the government by 5 pm,” he claimed.

    Lobo, who joined the Congress in January this year after quitting the BJP-led state cabinet, said the people of Goa knew who was making false claims about him.

    “Don’t fall prey to such rumors. Nobody will leave the Congress. Let the BJP try pressure tactics also by using the Enforcement Directorate and other agencies. We all are united and will not leave the Congress,” he asserted.

    Lobo said the Congress will provide a stable government in the state.

    “The BJP will be in the opposition and we are confident about it,” he said.

    Lobo claimed leaders of other parties in the state were in touch with the Congress.

    “They are not interested in supporting the BJP. Not a single independent MLA or the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party will go near the BJP, as it back-stabbed the MGP. Nobody trusts them now,” Lobo claimed.

    The Congress leader said on March 10, the people of the state would be happy after “liberation from the BJP”.

    After the 2017 Goa Assembly polls, the Congress had emerged as the single party by winning 17 seats in the 40-member House.

    However, the BJP, which bagged 13 seats, then quickly tied-up with some regional outfits, including the MGP, and independents to form government.

    Over the last five years, several Congress leaders quit the party and its strength in the Assembly was reduced to two.

    Polls to elect the new state Assembly were held on February 14 this year and the counting of votes would be done on March 10.

  • Goa Trinamool chief claims Prashant Kishor’s I-PAC abandoned party candidates after polls

    By PTI

    PANAJI: Goa Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Kiran Kandolkar has claimed that their political consultant I-PAC abandoned the party candidates after the state Assembly polls held last week.

    Talking to reporters here on Monday, Kandolkar also said he was not quitting as TMC’s Goa unit chief, but was upset with I-PAC head Prashant Kishor and his team.

    There have been speculations since some time about a rift between the TMC and I-PAC (Indian Political Action Committee), which had helped the Mamata Banerjee-led party during the West Bengal Assembly polls.

    The TMC contested the Goa Assembly elections in alliance with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP).

    Polling was held on February 14 and the counting of votes will be done on March 10.

    Kandolkar had contested the election from Aldona Assembly seat, while his wife Kavita contested from Thivim on TMC’s ticket.

    He claimed that most of the TMC candidates in Goa felt they were abandoned by the I-PAC after the polls.

    “All candidates fielded by the TMC have some or the other issues with the I-PAC. When the candidates told me about their issues with Prashant Kishor and his I-PAC team, I discussed the matter with my party workers, who advised me to quit as the TMC Goa president,” he said.

    “I am not quitting as TMC Goa head, but I am upset with Prashant Kishor and the I-PAC team,” he said.

    A meeting of all party candidates has been called on Tuesday to discuss the polling in their respective Assembly constituencies, he added.

  • Rahul Gandhi woos voters in Goa’s mining belt with promise to resume stalled industry

    By PTI

    PANAJI: Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said the iron ore mining in Goa will be resumed as soon as his party comes to power in the state after the Assembly elections.

    He was speaking at a public meeting in Curchorem constituency in South Goa district, a part of the mining belt.

    “Congress will restart the mining industry as soon as the party forms government,” Gandhi said, campaigning ahead of the February 14 elections.

    He questioned the seriousness of the ruling BJP’s assurance that mining will be resumed within six months.

    “BJP leaders say that they will resume mining. Then why didn’t they do it in the last five years?” he asked.

    Gandhi also said that all projects which are detrimental to the coastal state’s interests will be scrapped, including three projects which would affect the Mollem Wildlife Sanctuary.

    The Congress leader also blamed the BJP for `rampant unemployment’ in the state, claiming that the policies of the Union government affected the small and medium industries, leading to this situation.

    “Everyone should get justice. Hence we have decided to restart mining to create employment and give justice to those dependent on mining for livelihood,” he said.

    Mining in Goa came to a standstill in 2018 after the Supreme Court set aside mining leases for various illegalities.

    The state used to earn a revenue of around Rs 1,000 crore a year from the industry.

  • PM Narendra Modi distracting people of Goa from real issues: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi

    By PTI

    PANAJI: Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of distracting the attention of people of Goa from real issues like environment and employment.

    Criticising Modi over his statement that if Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru wanted, Goa could have been liberated “within hours” in 1947 when India attained independence, Gandhi said the prime minister does not understand the situation of those times and what was happening post-World War II.

    Addressing a press conference in Margao, around 35 kms from here, Gandhi expressed confidence that the Congress will win majority of seats in the February 14 Goa assembly elections and there won’t be any need for post-poll alliances.

    “Modi has come to Goa because he wants to distract Goa from real issues like employment, environment…Did he speak anything about environment and employment? BJP’s manifesto has no word about environment,” Gandhi said.

    The prime minister should tell Goans what they have done for creating employment in the state and for tourism industry and environment. Modi, while addressing an election rally at Mapusa near here on Thursday, had slammed the Congress, saying its government took 15 years to liberate Goa from the Portuguese rule.

    Targeting him over the remarks, Gandhi said, “Freedom fighters have commented on this issue. Academics have spoken about it. The sad fact is that the PM does not understand the history of those times. He does not understand what was going on post-World War II. He is coming to Goa to distract people from the real issues like environment and employment.”

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    Gandhi also alleged that the BJP came to power in Goa and ruled it for the last five years by stealing the mandate given to the Congress by the people. “Congress will get full majority in Goa and there will be no question of any alliances. Congress will act immediately to ensure we have a government in Goa,” he said.

    In the 2017 elections, the Congress had emerged as the single-largest party in Goa by winning 17 seats in the 40-member House, but could not come to power as the BJP, which bagged 13, acted swiftly and allied with some independents and regional parties to form the government under Manohar Parrikar, who died in 2019.

    This time, the Congress is contesting the election in alliance with the Goa Forward Party (GFP). While the Congress has fielded 37 candidates, the GFP has given tickets to three. Gandhi, who is on a day-long visit to the coastal state, said if his party comes to power, it will start sustainable mining in the state.

    “We have studied the subject. There is no problem in restarting the mining in a legal way. We are going to allow legal and sustainable mining which will give a large number of jobs. Your spirit and tourism is a huge asset. I have spoken to different stakeholders in the tourism industry, we have a plan to completely rejuvenate the tourism industry,” he said.

    The iron ore mining industry, which used to be one of the major sources of revenue for Goa, had come to a grinding halt in the state in March 2018 after the Supreme Court quashed 88 mining leases. Gandhi said the Congress proposes to invest money and energy for turning Goa into an IT and knowledge hub, so that many young Goans can get jobs in the IT industry.

    CLICK HERE FOR FULL COVERAGE OF GOA ELECTIONS

    The Congress leader assured that three linear projects in Goa – a national highway expansion project, Tamnar power transmission project and the South West Railways’ double-tracking that cut through the biodiversity hotspot of Mollem – would be scrapped, if his party comes to power.

    “The issue of environment is crucial for Goa. You would say that these three linear projects are in the ambit of central government, but after assuming power, the Congress will resist the idea of these projects. We will not let them happen,” he said.

    There is also the issue of unemployment in Goa, Gandhi said. He refused to comment on the raging controversy over ‘hijab’ and said he would not get into any kind of conversation that will distract the people of Goa. “My mission is to focus what is important for the people of Goa,” he said.

  • I was called by ED 10 times after TMC entered Goa politics: Abhishek Banerjee

    By PTI

    PANAJI: Trinamool Congress (TMC) general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Thursday claimed that ever since his party forayed into Goa’s electoral politics, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned him eight to ten times at the behest of the BJP.

    In controversial remarks, he told Goan voters to “take money from the BJP, but vote for the TMC” in the February 14 assembly polls.

    Addressing a public meeting at Cumbharjua in North Goa, he said the BJP has been “misusing power” and targeting the TMC, the ruling party in West Bengal.

    The Mamata Banerjee-led TMC is contesting the assembly polls in Goa in an alliance with the MGP, the state’s oldest regional outfit.

    Abhishek Banerjee is the nephew of Mamata Banerjee.

    The Trinamool Congress general secretary claimed his party has become a formidable force in the tiny coastal state ruled by the BJP.

    “The BJP has been misusing power against the TMC, which has become a formidable force in Goa. Every since the TMC has come to Goa, the Enforcement Directorate, at the behest of the BJP, has summoned me eight to ten times,” the Lok Sabha MP claimed.

    Banerjee asserted his party will not get intimidated and vowed to fight back.

    “I am standing here and I give you my word that no matter how much the BJP tries to intimidate us, we will not bow down before them,” he said.

    “Till the time I am alive, till the time blood is flowing through my veins, I will continue to fight for your rights,” the top TMC leader said, making an emotional pitch for his party and seeking votes for it in what is a new terrain for the 24-year-old outfit which is still to make a mark outside its stronghold of West Bengal.

    Banerjee told Goan voters to punish the BJP for its “betrayal”.

    “You take money from the BJP, but vote for don fula (two flowers – poll symbol of TMC) and betray the BJP like they betrayed Goans in 2017 (when the saffron party came to power),” said the 34-year-old politician.

    Banerjee said the greatest betrayal for Goans was in 2017 when “every MLA people voted for sold his soul for Rs 50 crore”.

    “Everyone in Goa is aware of this fact. There are 20,000 to 25,000 voters per constituency. So, you can calculate for yourself. One vote for them costs Rs 20,000,” he said.

    Besides the BJP, he also targeted the opposition Congress.

    The TMC leader said, “Your vote, your trust, your faith, your love, your blessings, your honour is being sold by both the BJP and the Congress for a mere Rs 20,000.

    Banerjee said what happened with Goa in 2017 has never happened in any other state during the last 50 years.

    “You voted for the Congress and rejected the BJP. But the Congress played with the love and trust of the people of Goa. Buying and selling politics must stop in Goa,” he said.

    After the last assembly polls, the Congress emerged as the single largest party, but it was the BJP which formed a government by quickly forging an alliance with smaller parties and Independent MLAs.

    Banerjee said the time has come to vote for clean politics and this can be ensured only by the TMC-led alliance.

    “Voting for any other party except the Trinamool Congress is equal to voting for the BJP which in turn means defeat of Goa,” he added.

    Referring to the BJP’s oft-repated talk of “double engine” goverment, Banerjee dismissed it as “double loot”.

    The term “double engine” is used by BJP leaders to refer to the party being in power at the Centre as well as in a state.

    “Loot of resources is happening in Goa and another loot of the national exchequer is happening in Delhi (Centre),” the TMC leader said.

    The state, which has a 40-member assembly, will go to the polls on February 14 and votes will be counted on March 10.

  • Goa polls: Congress assures state’s economic revival as it hits out at Trinamool, AAP

    By PTI

    PANAJI: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday said if her party comes to power in Goa after the upcoming elections, Rs 500 crore from the government fund would be allocated for employment generation and there would be 30 per cent reservation for women in government jobs.

    Addressing a public meeting in Nuvem Assembly constituency of Goa ahead of the state polls scheduled on February 14, Gandhi also said that a staff selection commission would be formed to get rid of “scams” in government jobs allocation.

    Referring to the Congress’ manifesto released on Sunday for the Goa polls, Gandhi assured 30 per cent reservation for women in the state government jobs.

    She also said Rs 500 crore from the government fund would be allocated for the creation of jobs.

    Under the Nyay scheme, families from weaker sections will be given Rs 6,000 per month which will help them sustain and also inject money into the economy, she said.

    The Congress has assured to build hostels for working women in Margao and Panaji and increase the number of police stations supervised by women.

    The party has also announced that the prices of petrol and diesel would not be allowed to rise above Rs 80 per litre, and the party government will subsidise the remaining amount.

    Notably, the Congress had emerged as the single largest party in the 40-member Goa Assembly after the 2017 state polls, but the BJP then forged an alliance with some regional outfits and independents to form government.

    Referring to the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, Priyanka Gandhi reiterated that the Congress would give 40 per cent of its tickets to women in UP.

    “You know that I have been working very hard to bring women into the political process. In Uttar Pradesh, we have said that 40 per cent of the women will fight the elections. There are two-three reasons were are doing this. Women comprise 50 per cent of the population, so it is their right to have 50 per cent representation,” she said.

    Gandhi said this is not something being done as a favour (giving representation to women).

    “It is our right. We have to fight for our right,” she said.

    “More than that, I feel politics today is filled with hatred, anger. You hear speeches, 90 per cent of them are negative. There is no positivity in it. I firmly believe that we women being practical people, we can bring positivity and compassion in politics as well. Women should be helped to stand on their feet,” she said.

    A week before Goa goes to polls and multi-cornered contests shaping up, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Monday termed the Trinamool Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as the parties of defectors.

    He also said that both these parties lacked a winning potential but they are dividing non-BJP votes.

    Addressing a public meeting at the Nuvem assembly constituency, he said that voters should not waste their votes by supporting the AAP or the TMC rather they should choose the NOTA (None of The Above) option.

    “These parties have suddenly descended on in Goa. They have no roots. Is there any grassroots worker that has risen from the ranks of the AAP and TMC?” he questioned.

    Later, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also attended the public meeting in Nuvem in south Goa.

    “Both AAP and TMC are parties of defectors. They have allowed the entry of defectors from other parties and fielded them as candidates,” he said.

    The TMC and the AAP cannot win a sufficient number of seats to form a government in Goa, he said.

    “What are they doing here? The plain and blunt truth is that they are dividing non-BJP votes. They are cutting into non-BJP votes,” he added.

    The TMC, led by Mamata Banerjee, had earlier proposed an alliance of Congress and other parties to take on the ruling BJP in Goa polls.

    Last month, Chidambaram had said that the TMC’s proposal for alliance in Goa was not considered as it poached Congress leaders.

    Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP has also been trying to make inroads in Goa.

    Chidambaram on Monday also took a swipe at the TMC which had announced that a Rs 20 lakh loan will be provided sans collateral at a four per cent interest rate if it comes to power in Goa.

    “I challenge any TMC leader to show me one banker who will land you money without collateral and at four per cent interest amount,” the former Union finance minister, who is handling Congress’ election affairs in Goa, said.

    He also questioned the AAP’s promise to give a Rs 3,000 monthly allowance for unemployed youth in Goa.

    “Why the Arvind Kejriwal-led party is not extending the same benefits to people in Delhi?” he asked.

    “Should the BJP government come to power for another term of five years or should it be replaced by another Congress? This is the only question that you have to answer on St Valentine’s Day, February 14,” Chidambaram said.

    He said Goa is witnessing a wave of change to replace BJP.

    “A wave is sweeping across Goa which says that a period of 10 years is enough for the BJP and we have to replace it with another government,” the Congress veteran said.

    In the 2017 Assembly polls held in Goa, Congress won the maximum 17 of the 40 seats restricting the BJP at 13.

    However, BJP joined hands with regional allies to form a government under Manohar Parrikar (now deceased).

    The number of Congress MLAs reduced to just two over the last five years as the bulk of its leaders have switched to other parties with at least two moving to TMC.

    The Congress has already announced its pre-poll alliance with the GFP, while the TMC has a tie-up with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP).