New Delhi: In a precautionary measure to avoid the 2017 fiasco, in which Congress had failed to form the government even after winning more seats than the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Grand Old Party has started ring-fencing its candidates after exit poll predictions indicated a hung verdict in Goa. The regional outfit MGP getting wooed by the BJP as well as the Congress, the two main contenders of power in the tiny coastal state which has a history of political volatility and shifting of loyalties.
The Congress has fielded its trusted troubleshooter DK Shivakumar in Goa to assist P Chidambaram in negotiating with smaller parties and independents after the declaration of results. As the poll results will be declared on Thursday, Shivakumar will also help Chidambaram and Dinesh Gundu Rao, who is Goa in-charge, in ironing out any issues after the declaration of results.
As per party leaders, the Congress candidates have been moved to a resort in north Goa, where they will stay until Thursday's counting of votes is over and the results are out. "All our MLAs have decided to be together," said Dinesh Gundu Rao, who is Goa in-charge of Congress.
Commenting on his presence in Goa, Shivakumar said, "An entire team of leaders from Karnataka has worked hard and done its best, so I will be there as a party worker of a neighbouring state to help my leaders.
Besides Congress, BJP leaders in Goa are also preparing to herd their MLAs to nearby resorts. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi, while other senior Goa BJP leaders are planning to meet their state poll in-charge Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai.
Sawant said the central BJP leadership is already in talks with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) to seek its support if the saffron outfit falls short of a few numbers to form the next government.
According to Congress party insiders, Congress has also reached out to its rival parties such as Trinamool Congress and Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). "The Congress is ready to forge a post-poll alliance with all parties who fought against the BJP in Goa. We are open to alliance with the Trinamool Congress and AAP or anyone who is against the BJP in Goa," Rao added.
Incidentally, the AAP has indicated forming an alliance with Congress to prevent BJP from government formation in Goa.
The Congress, too, is wooing the MGP, the Goa's oldest regional party which has ruled
the state in the past, to make up for any shortfall in seats.
When contacted, MGP legislator Sudin Dhavalikar, who is the brother of party head Deepak Dhavalikar, appeared non-committal on supporting any party as this juncture and said they will take a call on an alliance after consulting their pre-poll ally the TMC once the results are out.
On the other side, Trinamool Congress's Goa chief Kiran Kandolkar claimed his party will win seven to eight seats and ally MGP four to five, "after which we will bargain for the chief ministerial post, if any party wants our support".