You have seen the lull so far, the storm is yet to begin: Luizinho Faleiro

Newton.Sequeira
From the results of the municipal election, the Congress has something to cheer about. President of Goa Pradesh Congress committee and former Goa chief minister Luizinho Faleiro is very positive of the outcome in 2017. Talking to TOI, Faleiro who brought Congress to power in the northeastern states and in Karnataka, said the people are waiting for an opportunity to vote the BJP out of office for various reasons.
TOI: We are little over a year from the assembly elections. Why was the Congress not proactive in constituencies not represented by the party? The perception is that the party is still in slumber.
Faleiro: I will take you back to the time when Rajiv Gandhi brought the 73^th and 74^th amendments. After that came in force, every state had the option to pass a resolution to further those amendments. We jointly arrived at the conclusion that Congress in Goa should not go on party lines (in local elections). These are local self-government elections and Goa being a small state, the people must get a chance to elect local leadership irrespective of party label.
When it was on party lines we opposed it. We had decidede that Congressmen would support all candidates who were good and capable.
That’s fine, but the party doesn’t appear to be getting ready for the next assembly elections.
If you say the party has not come up to the expectation of some people or you (media) then that will be wrong. We have formed several cells and we are active, for example with Global Goan cells with conveners all over, human rights, human resources , lawyers, Krishi Shakti (farmers cell). The groundswell is being prepared. You beat the elections drums and there will be 10 candidates in every constituency. They will be lining up. You don’t have to worry. We have taken up issues like casino, drugs, tourism, Tiracol, environment. The task is difficult and we know it will be torturous but it is in the interest of the state. Goa has become the sin city of India. Do we want that notorious reputation to continue? Goa is a national and international tourist destination but tourism is definitely not going in the right direction. This government wants to bring in marinas, golf courses. They have taken the public for granted. You have to take the public as a stakeholder. We are going to take on mining.
We have picked up some good leaders at the zilla panchayat elections. This is one way to create an organic growth in leadership. We want the natural growth of young leaders to come up and that is at the grassroots level, the local governing body level.
But there seems to be no movement?
There’s one more reason why people are not showing their support to us. There is no free environment. There is always intimidation; what you call the culture of intolerance. It is not that the people of Goa are in love with BJP. I have a scheme of things. We had a chintan baitak with the help of the Jawaharlal Nehru institute of leadership. We have prepared a roadmap and an action plan. We have prepared a list of U-turns – 7-star U-turns, 5-star U-turns, 3-star U-turns and empty promises. The second exercise we had was to promote young leadership. That is the public demand. My ambition is to get young leaders. We are working very consciously in all 40 blocks. I have not come here to remove everybody. I have come to embrace everybody. That is the Congress, a movement. Congress is a mass-based party, not a cadre-based party. Why are people of Goa angry? Why have the people, the younger generation lost hope? Instead of coming out at the last moment with an election manifesto, we want to put the thinking of Congress before the public. The culture of vendetta, of intolerance must stop.
What has stopped the party from exposing the government’s scams? Are Congress leaders scared of skeletons in their cupboard?
Our voice in the legislature is at its lowest ebb. I would be happy if the legislature wing and the organization wing works together. I am going to ask five MLAs to take five constituencies each and help us. We can take care of 30 constituencies. That is what I expect from our MLAs and they have the capacity.
The perception is that by now the party should have been stronger. Going by your experience as a firebrand leader in the opposition, it was expected that you would go hammer and tongs against the government.
What you have not seen now, you will see in the next three months. You will see the difference. The monsoon lull is just over. The storm is going to start. The best season for the Congress will come in the next three months. Nobody can take the Congress for granted. Congress may have its shortfalls but it has inherent strengths. We have to go with the right roadmap and programmes.
Is it true that you want to suggest to the high command that you want to hand over the mantle to someone else?
I have accepted the responsibility as president on the request of Sonia Gandhi. My agenda is very clear. It is not a personal agenda, it is a party agenda. My agenda is to build a young new party leadership and if that is done, I should be ready to step down. It is a process. I think we are going in the right direction.
Are you going to contest 2017 polls?
I have not decided whether to contest the elections.
Would Congress be interested in an alliance for the next elections?
We are building young leadership. I expect at least 50% new faces in the polls. We are ready but are the people ready? Today the system is corrupt. Right now we are working to bring in new faces. No alliance. The moment you form an alliance you destroy the base of the party.
You have expelled St Cruz MLA Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate. Dabolim MLA Mauvin Godinho is appointed by the government as chairman of SGPDA. There is no action against him?
We will take appropriate decisions at the appropriate time. If he has been appointed chairman, you ask the BJP. They are in the government. Nobody stops him from joining the BJP. He should resign and join the BJP.