Ahead of poll results on Thursday, Congress candidates moved to North Goa resort

PANAJI: Congress on Tuesday evening moved all its 37 candidates to a resort in North Goa to safeguard against possible moves by BJP to strike a deal with any of them. The candidates will be able to leave the resort only on Thursday, counting day.

“We were all told to report to the resort at 5pm. I have packed my bags and will leave after a while,” said one of the candidates.

A few whose credentials are beyond doubt, will be able to leave the resort in between if they wish, but others will not be able to, he said.

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A senior Congress functionary, however, said no such instructions were issued. Some felt that it being the birthday of opposition leader Digambar Kamat, they should celebrate by staying overnight at a hotel, the functionary said. “You can call it a birthday celebration. The candidates are not kids, who can be kept locked in a place. It’s their decision to stay together.”

Another functionary said that Congress has lots to worry about. Winning an election sounds easy, but to safeguard candidates against possible tempting offers is not a joke, the functionary said, adding that their candidates are sensible.


Congress raised its guard after it sensed that some of its candidates were approached by BJP. Last week, it even accused BJP of hiring the services of a private agency to tap the phones of its functionaries and candidates.

In 2017, though Congress had won 17 seats, by the end of the five-year term, it was left empty handed. All its MLAs except for Kamat and Poreim MLA Pratapsingh Rane deserted the party.

What hurt the party the most was how it’s opportunity to form the government was snatched away, leading to its diminution in the House of 40.


When elections came around, it had the worst time in proving wrong it's rival’s narrative that ‘Congress candidates if elected will anyway leave the party, so don’t vote for them’.

It tried to counter it by making its candidates take a pledge before various gods that they will remain loyal to the party for the full five-year term on being elected. The party also got them to sign affidavits to show their commitment.