Goa Forward launched a scathing attack on Congress, saying it has "deficiency of political intelligence and lost hold on the ground."
Ironically, the Goa Forward (GF) has expressed its willingness to form an alliance with Congress for the state Assembly polls slated next year.
"I don't think that Congress is taking us (GF) for granted. I think Congress because it is senior, wants to take advantage of its seniority. They are deficient in political intelligence. They want the alliance partner to bend, crawl in-front of them not knowing that they have lost the hold at ground level," Goa Forward President Prabhakar Timble told PTI.
Timble criticised Congress but said it is a proper option for alliance in the coastal state considering the party (Congress) has public sentiment with it.
"According to us (GF), Congress has lost hold on the ground as it failed to perform as a good Opposition during last five years. The party is infested with family raj, corruption and ego of the senior leaders, most of whom are former Chief Ministers," Timble said.
"The senior leaders want to retain their political positions instead of becoming guides and mentors to the new faces," Timble alleged.
Timble said GF's desire to align with Congress for Goa polls stems out from the public sentiments.
"Many people ask us why don't we have tie up with smaller parties like Goa Vikas Party, Babush Monserratte led United Goans Democratic party. We feel that these are not the parties but individual kingdoms. They don't enjoy support on the field. Whatever we say about the Congress but it has public sentiments with it," he said.
The GF President also said, "if Congress is going to field same, disgruntled faces during the upcoming election, then alliance will not achieve result of throwing out BJP from the power. Congress will have to put up new faces".
"When we say alliance, we have to see the quality of it, not quantity," the GF chief added.
GF has said they will never ally with BJP in future even if the saffron party needs support to form the government post 2017 election.
"Our mentor Vijai Sardesai has already said that we are ready to sit in Opposition, if that is the price we have to pay to uphold Goa, Goans and Goanness. Sardesai has been the only opposition for the BJP during last five years," Timble claimed.
Asked about projecting a Chief Ministerial candidate
on behalf of the party in the Assembly elections, Timble said, "We will get clarity on this issue as the election approaches. Finally, the team of politicians who lead the electoral fight, the candidate will emerge amongst them," said Timble.
"BJP has sold lands of Goa to land sharks from Mumbai and Delhi," he alleged.
