In the fight for the anti-BJP space, Congress has a difficult task
In a blow to the INDIA bloc in Goa, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said that it would contest all three forthcoming elections to the Zilla Panchayat, municipalities, and assembly on its own. AAP’s senior leader and former Delhi chief minister Atishi, replying to media questions on Monday, said that “as of now” there will be no alliance with the Congress for the three elections.
She said Congress cannot be trusted, as eight out of 11 of its elected MLAs switched over to the BJP months after the last assembly election. In the previous term too, 10 Congress MLAs joined the BJP, she said. “So, how can the Congress or their leadership or their MLAs be trusted with an alliance? Goans vote for the Congress, and they join the BJP, unlike AAP MLAs, who have worked for the people of their respective constituencies and have been the voice of the people in the assembly,” Atishi said. The Congress appears to be taken aback by her statement. State Congress president Amit Patkar described her statement as “premature,” saying the next assembly elections are two years away.
Irrespective, it’s definitely bad news for the Congress. Some time ago, leaders of both parties were talking of continuing with the INDIA block to fight the elections the way they did for the South Goa parliamentary polls. In Benaulim, which is currently represented by AAP in the assembly, the Congress has been in an aggressive mode to keep its flag flying high in the constituency.
Atishi’s statement may be in tune with AAP’s national policy, where they didn’t have an alliance with the Congress in Delhi. AAP not only lost power, but even party supremo Arvind Kejriwal couldn’t save his seat, and the Congress drew a blank. Post-Delhi elections, political commentators had said that for the benefit of both parties, they need to come together for future elections. Anyways, political parties know better.
One disadvantage of an alliance is seat-sharing, as many times their leaders are forced to sacrifice some seats “for the greater good”. Once the alliance partner wins a seat even once, it’s difficult for the party that sacrificed the constituency to win back the seat in the next election if the alliance breaks. In Goa, BJP gained from its alliance with MGP in the initial years.
Since 2014, there has been a fight for the anti-BJP space. Congress and AAP seem to be vying for the same space. AAP also benefits from the poor organisational setup of the Congress. A party that ruled Goa for more than 22 years should have been a formidable force in the opposition. With few takers for political morality, defectors find nothing wrong in switching sides. Congress is yet to recover from the defection of 10 MLAs five years ago and eight in 2022. Politically, Goa being a personality-driven state, it is not easy for the Congress to recapture those seats. Poor organisational setup is a major factor. No party can go to the voters just ahead of the polls if it can’t keep the local (block) units active. In South Goa and beyond Salcete, Congress still stands a chance. Opposition Leader Yuri Alemao and South Goa MP Viriato Fernandes are keeping the Congress flag flying. The party has a herculean task in North Goa. It can’t expect a miracle this time. It has to be seen on the ground.
