In Goa, the Congress cornered all 37 candidates in a resort, as well as reaching out to smaller parties like the MGP, TMC, NCP and AAP to avoid a re-run in 2017, when it emerged as the single largest party. Despite this, the BJP was prevented from forming the government. Team.
At the same time, outgoing CM Pramod Sawant met PM Modi in Delhi on Tuesday and discussed the prospects of the latter BJP on each seat.
“BJP will form the government, Modi told me,” Sawant told TOI from Delhi after their meeting.
Later, Sawant, BJP state president Sadanand Shet Tanawade and the party’s Goa election in-charge Devendra Fadnavis held a meeting in Mumbai to discuss the formation of the next government.
However, a hung assembly could be difficult for Sawant, especially in the light of former BJP ally MGP leader Ramkrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar’s claim that his party as a former chief minister is not acceptable to him.
Fadnavis had recently held a meeting with Dhavalikar regarding the post-poll alliance. Dhavalikar, whose party has an alliance with the TMC, had told Fadnavis that a decision would be taken after the results. BJP is also in touch with some independent candidates who have a chance to win.
Dhavalikar had a meeting with Congress leaders on Tuesday. Dhavalikar said, “Goa will see a fractured mandate and the MGP will support the party that will support the aspirations of the MGP and the people of Goa.” He said that they will take a decision on government formation on March 10 at 4 pm.
Congress raised its guard
Meanwhile, the Congress on Tuesday evening moved all its 37 candidates to a resort in North Goa to guard against possible moves by the BJP to strike a deal with any of them. Candidates will be able to go out of the resort only on Thursday, the day of counting of votes.
“All of us were asked to report at the resort at 5 pm. I have packed my bags and will leave after a while,” said one of the candidates.
He said some whose credentials are beyond doubt can leave the resort midway if they wish, but others will not.
However, a senior Congress functionary said that no such direction was issued. Some felt that since it is the birthday of opposition leader Digambar Kamat, they should celebrate by staying overnight in a hotel. “You can call it a birthday celebration. Candidates are not children, who can be kept locked in one place. It is their decision to be together.”
In 2017, though the Congress had won 17 seats, by the end of its five-year term, it was left empty handed. All its MLAs left the party except Kamat and Porim MLA Pratapsinh Rane.
Crowd of leaders in irritating parties in Uttarakhand
Similar political activity was witnessed in Uttarakhand, where most exit polls have predicted that neither the BJP nor the Congress will get a clear majority.
Top central leaders of both the parties have started reaching the hill state to “manage” the situation arising after the counting of votes on March 10.
Sources in both the parties told TOI that “seniors are there to take quick decisions including post-poll alliances”.
While the BJP on Sunday dispatched senior leader Kailash Vijayvargiya to help party leader and former CM Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank prepare for any political crisis, the Congress deputed Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Hooda to Dehradun on Tuesday.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel is scheduled to arrive in the city on Wednesday and stay in the state capital till the results are out.
Almost immediately after the gathering in Dehradun, there was a stir among senior BJP leaders, with top Congress leaders including Hooda and state in-charge Devendra Yadav holding several meetings.
In the event of a hung assembly in the 70-member house, the kingmaker will play a major role in government formation.
If sources are to be believed, both the Congress and the BJP have already reached out to regional parties and “strong” independents, who have a good chance of winning from their seats.
Taking lessons from the experiences of Goa and Manipur in 2017, when the Congress failed to form the government despite emerging as the single largest party, its leaders are making all efforts to ensure that such a situation does not recur in Uttarakhand this time. Don’t be
Congress Vice President Surendra Kumar told Times of India, “The party will not take any risk. BJP’s election in-charge and Union Minister Prahlad Joshi has directed the party members to remain vigilant till the final votes are counted.
BJP’s state in-charge Dushyant Kumar Gautam is also camping in Uttarakhand. In 2017, BJP won 57 seats, Congress 11 and independents 2. This time, BSP, Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD), Uttarakhand Jan Ekta Party (UJEP) and some independent candidates “have done well in about 10 constituencies”. “. Election observers say.
(with inputs from Bindiya Chari)