Goa Polls: Rahul Gandhi wants Congress to start 'aggressive campaign' against BJP

In a key development, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi ordered the state unit of the party to conduct an aggressive campaign against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Goa ahead of the forthcoming Assembly elections. According to the party's official statement, Gandhi said this while chairing a meeting of senior Goa Congress and All India Congress Committee members (AICC). 

The statement signed by Dinesh Gundu Rao, the All India Congress Committee in charge of Goa stated, "Rahul Gandhi wants the party in Goa to defeat BJP and ensure its own victory by launching an aggressive campaign." "The leader also wants the party to fulfil the aspirations and respect sentiments of Goans by taking along all the well-wishers and supporters in its victory march towards elections in 2022," the statement added.

BJP vs Congress in Goa

On the other hand, Pramod Sawant, the chief minister of Goa, has welcomed reports that his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress (TMC) is planning to run in the 2022 Goa assembly elections. He claimed that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was not bothered about the increased number of contenders. On Wednesday, Sawant stated, "Let everyone come; everyone loves Goa."

Devendra Fadnavis, the newly-appointed state election in-charge, claimed on Monday that the BJP will win the Goa assembly elections next year with an "absolute majority." He also stated that the BJP's parliamentary board will make a decision on forming a pre-election coalition with like-minded parties. Fadnavis visited Goa this week, where he held a series of talks with Union ministers G Kishan Reddy and Darshana Jardosh, both of whom are co-in-charge of the state elections next year.

He stated that the BJP will fight the Goa elections together and "clinch a historic victory." The Congress gained 17 seats in the 40-member Goa assembly in 2017, leaving the BJP with only 13. Surprisingly, the saffron party joined hands with regional parties and independents and rose to power under Manohar Parrikar's leadership. The presence of former state chief minister Manohar Parrikar, who died in 2019, will be missed, said Fadnavis. Goa's state assembly elections are set to take place on February next year.

(with inputs from PTI/ANI)

Image: ANI