Express News Service
NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: Sequestering MLAs in a resort, round-the-clock communication and strategy to handle different scenarios to get the early-mover advantage — the Congress has readied plans for election-bound states, especially Goa and Uttarakhand, after the election results are announced on March 10.
Taking lessons from the 2017 Goa election, when slow decision-making by the leadership helped the BJP form government in the coastal state despite not having the required numbers, the Congress has already sent its central leaders to the poll-bound states.
Goa observer P Chidambaram and AICC in-charge Dinesh Gundu Rao have been camping in the state since Sunday.
“Decisions will be taken quickly this time. We are meeting all party candidates and ensuring that everyone is kept in the loop. We are thinking of shifting our MLAs to a safe zone if a situation arises as we know the BJP’s tactic of poaching MLAs in case none of the parties gets majority,” Rao told this newspaper.
Last week, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi had met the party’s Goa leadership to devise a post-election strategy.
Rao said the Congress is open and ready to accept the support of the Aam Aadmi Party, Trinamool Congress, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and independents to form the next government in the state and that these parties need to make quick decisions after the results are announced.
The grand old party has shortlisted former Goa chief minister Digambar Kamat to lead the party MLAs, said party sources.
“We are confident of getting the majority. If there is a shortage of numbers for a simple majority, then back-channel talks are already on with non-BJP parties,” said Girish Chodankar, Goa Congress unit president.Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has been given charge of handling the Uttarakhand affairs after the election results are announced.
In Uttarakhand, where the party is hoping to gain a majority, Baghel will take charge for the post-result management strategy.
“Senior leaders have been sent to all poll-bound states to make quick decisions based on the results. We are expecting to form governments in Goa and Uttarakhand and a strategy has been prepared to keep in mind various possible scenarios,” said a senior party leader.
