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Journalism of Courage
Five months after he led the Congress’s campaign for the Goa Assembly polls, the Congress Working Committee (CWC)’s permanent member and ex-chief minister, Digambar Kamat, has now been accused by his own party of allegedly plotting with new entrant Michael Lobo and the ruling BJP to engineer the defection of eight of its 11 MLAs. The Congress is also seeking the disqualification of Kamat and Lobo as legislators. On his part, Kamat has maintained that his supporters have been upset ever since his erstwhile Leader of Opposition (LoP) position was given to Lobo in the newly-constituted Assembly. A seemingly hurt but defiant Kamat speaks to The Indian Express about the crisis raging in the Goa Congress. Excerpts:
Why has the crisis hit the Congress in Goa again?
To be frank, I don’t know what crisis is going on in the Congress party. I was out of Goa. I came to Goa on Saturday morning. From the airport I went straight to a religious ceremony which was attended by more than 10,000 people. I came back in the evening. In between there was a message that there was a meeting called by Mr Dinesh Rao (the AICC’s Goa in-charge) at Fortune Hotel (Panaji). I could not go because I was there (at the religious function in Cancona) and came back at 8:30 pm. Mr Dinesh Rao said he wants to meet me and came to my house later. He was inquiring if there is anything (happening) in Goa. I said I am not aware of it. I was out of station for the last two days. He said you just talk to MLAs in case there is anything and he left. Next day I was in Margao. I didn’t even come to Panaji. At about 12:30-1:30 pm some MLAs had come to meet him. He had called them. I was not called. They then called me to ask if I was at home. I said come for lunch. Four or five people came for lunch and left.
Rao called you a “conspirator with the BJP” and said you were resorting to “cheap and desperate politics”…
I saw the video of Dinesh Rao’s press conference. I was shocked, surprised and stunned to see the way he was talking. People of Goa, people of Margao know me for so many years. I have seen such things before. If I had to take any such action, I had lots of opportunities in 2017, 2022. I stayed with the party when we had a clear mandate and still the party did not form the government or ask me if you can form the government and we lost the opportunity. In 2022, I was the only MLA who contested (from the Congress). And I led the party from the front. Most of the MLAs had gone. I still remained in the party. It was so much easier for me at that time (to change party). Who was going to question me?
Did you meet AICC general secretary Mukul Wasnik during his Goa visit. He met all the other party MLAs in Congress House.
I didn’t have his number. I expected him to call me. I thought he knows me well for so many years. I thought he would at least call me and say what is happening but no…
Why has your own party gone to the extent of seeking your disqualification as an MLA?
I stayed with the party and led it from the front. This is the reward they are giving me now by filing a disqualification petition for anti-party activities. What anti-party activities? I am not able to understand. Whatever it is I will face it. Disqualification is something my lawyers will take care of. I won’t be bothered about it. Party should find who are the people behind this. Do they want the party to progress or do they want the party to go from bad to worse?
Why would your own party want you disqualified?
I don’t know. There may be some people who may be happy if I go out of the Congress. I have no such intention. I worked for the party with sincerity. Somebody says the mining lobby is behind this or the real estate lobby is behind this. Where is the mining lobby? For the last ten years there is not even a single mine that is working. Real estate is crying because of Covid. People talk anything. My hard work of so many years in the party has no value. It appears like that. You feel sad.
The Congress has been stung by crisis not only in Goa but some other states too. What do you think needs to change?
Party has to do a lot of introspection. We are losing election after election. Leaders are leaving the party and going. We saw a person like Kapil Sibal, who was the main Congress spokesperson at one time, leaving. Party has to sit, introspect and take remedial steps. If they are not doing that, what can I say?
Does Congress need a change in leadership?
I don’t want to make any statement on that. I don’t know what is happening there. I just think they should introspect.
Why do you say that you are “retired hurt”?
Retired hurt is not out. It means for the time being he is resting. I said retired hurt because my workers were angry because Leader of Opposition was changed.
