PANAJI: Central Congress leadership, displaying divergent views from that of the local leadership, has continued to maintain that the final decision on forming an alliance with any national or regional party will be taken by the central election committee.
Reiterating his stand, All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and Goa desk in-charge Digvijay Singh on Monday said, “The final decision to have alliance with any political party is with the central election committee and not with the PCC (Pradesh Congress Committee).”
When asked if the party would go against the desires expressed by 37 Block Congress Committees during the July 19 meeting to go solo and not forge an alliance with any party, Singh reacted sharply stating, “Don’t give figures, these are wrong figures. No resolution has come to us.”
Further the AICC general secretary expressed divergent views from that of the GPCC executive committee on the issue of casinos too. While the GPCC president Luizinho Faleiro informed that executive committee has taken a decision to oppose casinos, Singh said, “A comprehensive view has to be framed on the casinos by the Congress party after consultation with the wider section of the people and our own senior leaders.”
He stated, “As far as casinos are concerned we don’t want Goa to become Macau. We want that maximum people in Goa should be employed in tourism as it is one sector which Goa is popular about and the state needs. At the same time we need to look at issues concerning casinos in different perspectives.”
When asked for his opinion, Faleiro said, “The executive committee has taken a decision. We find that casinos are having an evil impact on the state of Goa. I have also said that I am asking sections of the people so that we take final decision. But personally I am against casinos.”
Responding to Nationalist Congress Party’s proposal to form an alliance, Singh said that Praful Patel should first clarify his party’s stand whether Congress is fit enough for them to have an alliance.
Stating that it is a party matter to take a view on the growing voices against the central leadership, Singh said, “Off course we have to keep the flock together. There may be some difference of opinion amongst us, but the discipline has to be maintained.”
He further said that loyalty to the party and credibility of the candidate amongst the people will be the deciding factors while the selecting the candidates for the forthcoming assembly elections.