18 March,2017 11:02 AM IST | | Agencies
The AICC Gen Secy said his proposal for a pre-poll alliance with Goa Forward was ‘sabotaged’ by his own party leaders
Digvijaya Singh said had the alliance with Goa Forward gone through, the Congress would have got a majority in the state. Pic/PTI
Panaji: Facing flak for his handling of the Goa polls, AICC General Secretary Digvijaya Singh yesterday said his proposal for a pre-poll alliance with Goa Forward was "sabotaged" by his own party leaders.
He said had the alliance with Goa Forward gone through, the Congress would have got majority in the state and that it was unfair to now make him a "villain".
"As a strategy I had proposed a secular alliance with regional party headed by Babush Monserratte and Goa Forward headed by Vijai Sardesai," Singh said in a series of tweets.
"Our alliance with Babush went through and we won 3 out of 5 but our alliance with Goa Forward was sabotaged by our own leaders. Sad!" he said. The Congress had supported Atanasio (Babush) Monserratte's United Goan party in Panaji constituency and given tickets to four of his supporters.
"Goa Forward won 3 out of 4 (seats) they contested. Had our alliance with Goa Forward gone through we would have been 22," he said in another tweet. "Still Digvijaya guilty? I leave it to you to judge," the senior Congress leader said.
âDigvijaya should retire'
Mounting an attack on Singh, who is under fire for the "blunder" which blew the Congress' chances to form the government in Goa, former party legislator Vishwajit Rane yesterday said it's time the veteran politician called it quits.
"Digvijaya should now take retirement from politics. The kind of blunder he along with other Congress leaders did, cost the party its government (in Goa) despite having a majority," Rane said.
"I don't know whether Digvijaya really wanted to form the Congress government in Goa. Looking at his actions, it did not seem like (he did)," he said.
The 45-year-old Rane had defied the party whip during the crucial floor test in the Goa Assembly yesterday, jolting the Congress, which came one down from the 17 votes it had against the government, when he absented himself.
Cong forces adjournment
Opposition Congress forced an adjournment of Rajya Sabha proceedings over the conduct of the Goa Governor in inviting BJP to form the government in the state after she reportedly consulted Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. Members also demanded that President Pranab Mukherjee dismiss Mridula Sinha for committing "constitutional impropriety" and "dereliction of duty".
