Congress has made preparations to “detain” the MLAs
Out of five states, voting has been completed in Goa, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Punjab. At the same time, voting is being held today for the last phase in Uttar Pradesh. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. Along with this, the challenge before the Congress, which is fighting for survival in the elections, is to keep the party alive even after the election results. The Congress, which could not form the government even after becoming the single largest party in Manipur and Goa in 2017, has already started uniting its potential MLAs this time. The party has already activated party leaders for possible manipulations.
P Chidambaram Dinesh Gundu reached Goa
In fact, the Congress has contested the 40-seat Goa elections in alliance with the Goa Forward Party. According to party sources, the Congress is also in touch with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party for an alliance after the elections. Congress has sent P Chidambaram and Goa in-charge Dinesh Gundu Rao to Goa even before the counting of votes. Both the leaders reached Goa on Sunday. It is said that earlier these two leaders had a meeting with many big leaders including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
Rahul prepared strategy with Gehlot and Baghel
According to media reports, the Congress party is planning to take the potential winners to Rajasthan. A senior leader aware of this strategy of the party said that there was a discussion with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel about what should be done to secure the potential winning MLAs. At the same time, a Rajasthan Congress leader told the media on the condition of anonymity that the party is expected to form the government in Uttarakhand and Goa. Therefore, the elected party is very serious about saving the MLAs. In this episode, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is also reaching Jaipur on a one-day tour on Monday. According to her, she will meet CM Gehlot. During this post-election management discussions cannot be ruled out.
Goa and Uttarakhand MLAs will be sent to Jaipur
There is speculation that the Congress party may send MLAs from Goa and Uttarakhand to hotels in Jaipur and Jodhpur to prevent any possible horse trading. Party leaders familiar with the matter in Goa said that the winning candidates would first be called to some secret places. After this, from there they will be taken to safer places outside the state. Another party leader said that the MLAs would be kept out of the state based on the election results and brought back if needed. At the same time, according to a senior Congress leader from Dehradun, after the declaration of the election results, the Congress party will send its candidates to secret places. According to them, based on the results, we have Plan A, B and C ready. If the situation arises, we will send our MLAs to Rajasthan or other states.
It is worth noting that before this, the party has also kept MLAs of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh in other states. At the same time, Congress leaders in Jaipur have told that the responsibility of bringing new MLAs of two states will be handed over to Rajasthan MLAs. In view of this, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has been made in-charge of Uttarakhand, Punjab and Goa for the day of counting. According to party leaders, they will work closely with state leaders to expedite replacement of new MLAs, if needed.
