Sandesh Prabhudesai
25 May 1999
Indicating clear division in the Goa Congress when state Assembly
elections are hardly 10 days away, the Youth Congress here has come out openly in support
of three expelled Congress leaders, urging party president Sonia Gandhi to revoke their
expulsion.
Vishnu Wagh, the GPYC president, claims it to be a decision of the
state executive body, which was taken after debating the whole issue threadbare. He
appears to be prepared for any kind of consequences that would follow.
In a resolution taken in this regard, which was sent to Mrs Gandhi, the
Youth Congress 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 party’s
image."
The Goan young Congressmen have however skilfully avoided taking stand
on the issue of Mrs Gandhi’s foreign origin. Instead, they have forcefully demanded
serious debate on the issue at various levels in the Congress, upholding Congress
tradition of tolerance and free expression.
Taking a contrary stand to the local Congress leaders who are presently
busy electioneering, Wagh firmly believes that the Sharad Pawar episode would obviously
create an adverse impact about the Congress on the voters.
"Pawar is one of the few leaders who are known to be having a mass
base whereas Purno Sangma is regarded as one of the best known political intellectuals in
our country", stated the resolution. The CWC paying no heed to their letter
symbolises erosion of democratic values within the Congress, he feels.
Reminding her that Congress has always been built as a forum of free
expression by veterans like Lokmanya Tilak, Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Nehru, the
resolution also hits out directly stating that "there should be no place for
sycophancy and image worship in a democratic institution".
Incidentally, the GPYC met the same day when the Goa PCC office bearers
met in the town here on Monday to take a resolution urging Mrs Gandhi to withdraw her
resignation letter. She has been invited to address two public rallies in Goa on 30 May.
Reacting to Youth Congress stand, sources in the Congress feel that
Wagh is being used as a front by a few Congress leaders here, who are preparing grounds
for splitting from the party and join Pawar’s new outfit soon after elections,
scheduled to be held on June 4.
Dr Wilfred de Souza, the rebel Congress leader who is contesting polls
in the name of 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 most of the expelled Congress rebels who are
contesting either as independents or candidates of regional parties. But he shows more
allegiance to Mrs Gandhi, indicating his plans to join the Congress once the local party
units splits and joins Pawar group.
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 till
elections to join Pawar’s third front.
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