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Goa Youth Congress signals dissent

Sandesh Prabhudesai in Panaji

With assembly elections barely 10 days away the Congress is in troubled waters.

The Goa Pradesh Youth Congress has come out openly in support of the three expelled Congress leaders, urging party president Sonia Gandhi to revoke their expulsion.

Vishnu Wagh, the GPYC president, said this is the decision of the organisation's state executive which took it after debating the issue threadbare.

He is prepared for any consequence, he asserts.

In a resolution passed in this regard, which was sent to Sonia Gandhi, the GPYC has urged her to revoke the "arbitrary decision of expulsion and bring the three leaders into the party fold before any further damage is caused to the party's image."

The Youth Congressmen have however skilfully avoided taking a stand on the issue of Sonia's foreign origin. Instead, they have demanded serious debate on the issue at various levels in the party and thus uphold the Congress tradition of tolerance and free expression.

Apparently Wagh and his peers firmly believe that the Sharad Pawar episode will have an adverse impact on the voters.

"Pawar is one of the few leaders who have a mass base whereas Purno Sangma is widely regarded as something of an intellectual politician, '' the GPYC resolution stated.

Reacting to the Youth Congress stand, sources in the Congress feel that Wagh is being used as a front by a few Congress leaders here, who are laying the ground for splitting the party to strengthen Pawar.

Dr Wilfred de Souza, the rebel Congress leader who floated the Goa Rajiv Congress, has on the other hand alleged that most of the local Congress leaders are close to either Pawar, Sangma or Tariq Anwar.

His party is supporting many of the previously expelled Congress rebels who are contesting either as independents or candidates of regional parties.

But he is also making subtle noises in favour of Sonia Gandhi, which is consistent with his view to rejoin the Congress once the local party unit splits and many more leave to join Pawar.

Former Union minister Ramakant Khalap, whose Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party was also founded by leaders of Maharashtra Congress way back in 1960, says he cannot remain a mute spectator. While supporting Pawar's views, he prefers to wait and watch before joining his projected third front.

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