Finally, it was the “most powerful” General Secretary Ahmed Patel’s call to the head of the Congress campaign committee Mauvin Godinho, which confirmed that Goa will indeed go to polls in February.Congress sources in AICC confirmed to Herald that this indeed is the party decision and the Election Commission too, is fine with the decision.
Sources in the Chief Electoral Officer’s office here told Herald that with the Assembly elections in five states including the politically crucial Uttar Pradesh and Punjab are likely to be held in February, the CEC also wants to club the Assembly elections of other three states – Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa, in the same month.“A crucial meeting in this regard has been called by the CEC in Delhi on December 13, and we are expecting the announcement,” sources stated.
The CEC wants the entire process to be completed within one month as school and college examinations start from March.Sources said that more than the CEC, holding elections in February has another political reason.“The party wants elections to be held in February ahead of Rajya Sabha election, which will take place in March,” sources said.The state Congress leaders too did not deny the development.
Congress election campaign manager Mauvin Godinho briefing reporters after the CLP meet, did not rule out the possibility.“We are ready for elections anytime. Also we are not ruling out the possibility of elections in February end,” he said.However, Godinho added, the party has no say in the matter.“The CEC team will visit Goa at the end of this month and probably they will take a final decision thereafter,” he said.However, the development seems to have come up as a surprise even as the crucial issue of alliance between the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party is yet to be decided.
Also, there is no clarity whether the Congress will tie-up with the MGP with the grapevine suggesting that the oldest regional party of Goa is all set to form an alliance with the Opposition BJP.
