AERIAL VIEW
The decision could be both good or bad, considering that the leaders who deserted the party have lost the faith of the people, and that was noticeable in the recently held elections wherein most of the defectors like Babu Kavlekar, Wilfred D’Sa, Clafasio Dias, Isidore Fernandes, Filipe Neri Rodrigues, Francis Silveira, Tony Fernandes lost miserably. Only three out of 10 who defected won again: Babush Monseratte, Jennifer Monseratte, and Nilkanth Halarnkar.
So the question now is whether the leaders would add any value to the Congress in Goa or become a liability.
Today Congress, except for a few leaders, is by far a fresh look party and popular amongst the youth.
During the fag end of the Assembly polls, many Congress leaders who had deserted the party to take up the lucrative offers from the BJP wanted to rejoin the grand old party, but then the former president Girish Chodankar stood like a rock, denying them re-entry into the Congress.
Leaders like Aleixo Reginald Lourenco, Francis Silveira, Wilfred D’Sa, Filipe Neri Rodrigues, Isidore Fernandes and many others wanted to rejoin the party, but the party under Chodankar took a firm decision to not entertain the defectors.
Just then, Calangute MLA Michael Lobo joined the party and wanted the party to do a rethink on Reginald and many other leaders, but his advice was ignored, and the result was that the party snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Only time will tell whether Girish Chodankar’s decision was right or wrong. Of course, that decision has nothing to do with Congress’ defeat.
A few days ago, Amit Patkar took over as the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president, while Michael Lobo was elected the Leader of the Opposition.
The two hardworking, dynamic personalities don’t seem to believe in old political books and believe that “Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar” and seem to be on a mission to change Congress’ fate.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Patkar claimed that the Congress would open its doors to the leaders who have quit the party for various reasons; he would meet the leaders and supporters during the Chetna yatra.
Well, the question now arises whether the decision of GPCC to open doors to defectors is right? Should they be given another chance? Will the Goan Janata accept this decision of GPCC?
The decision could be both good or bad, considering that the leaders who deserted the party have lost the faith of the people, and that was noticeable in the recently held elections wherein most of the defectors like Babu Kavlekar, Wilfred D’Sa, Clafasio Dias, Isidore Fernandes, Filipe Neri Rodrigues, Francis Silveira, Tony Fernandes lost miserably. Only three out of 10 who defected won again: Babush Monseratte, Jennifer Monseratte, and Nilkanth Halarnkar.
So the question now is whether the leaders would add any value to the Congress in Goa or become a liability.
Today Congress, except for a few leaders, is by far a fresh look party and popular amongst the youth.
The team led by Amit and Lobo seems to be hardworking, and getting the defectors back into the party fold will only increase the baggage.
Instead of getting the defectors, Patkar and Lobo must think about infusing fresh blood and getting support from the youth, the commoners, who are finding it difficult to survive with the rising commodities prices.
The Chetna yatra is a good initiative, but it should not be to get support or membership for the party but to make people aware of the injustice done to them by the Modi-Sawant governments.
Lobo-Patkar must not run after success; people are already upset with the BJP and will automatically come to Congress, provided the party supports the people and not the defectors, who shifted loyalty for a few crores (Rs 15 crores to be exact).
