Lok Sabha MP and TMC Goa who are responsible for Mahua Moua Moitra spoke to Newton Sequeira about the combined party battles with MGP to tactically reduce the power of BJP and bring a scenario after the poll where Oppn gathered to form a government.
TMC has tried to position itself as an alternative to BJP.
But in the field, TMC has divided the sound of non-BJP which gives them excellence.
How did you justify this attitude? We must function according to the reality of Goa.
In the north, our alliance partners MGP were fighting with 13-14 seats, which Congress was unable to win.
In 14 chairs, MGP head-Tohead with BJP.
We have prevented Hindu sound consolidation by binding with MGP.
Congress is always very strong in Salcete.
Who has broken up now.
So whatever seats exist, in the end it will be a strong winning situation.
BJP can’t get a simple majority today.
The worst scenario is that they will be the biggest party with 12 seats.
Because the governor with BJP, he will invite them and give them two weeks.
BJP will try to break the party, use the enforcement directorate, CBI and form the government.
If the Congress is in a position to win 21 seats, I will package my bag and go home because I am here not to fight Congress.
I am here to fight BJP.
Congress failed spectacularly in 2017, when even with 17 seats, they did not ask for government formation.
Do we give it to them? I can’t risk.
What we have done is this strategic tactical position.
In the case of a house that is hung and as long as you win a few chairs, whether you will open to support any party, including BJP, to form a government? Post-polls, we must be in a situation where Congress, AAP and Trinamool, including MGP, come together.
Do you like it or not, TMC is a player, and whether you like it or not, TMC and MGP are part of the anti-BJP block.
I can’t say if our Post-polls will unite because it depends on the numbers, but what I can say is our Post-polls don’t go with BJP.
Nothing will form a government in Goa without MGP-TMC.
How serious are you about Goa and you see yourself as a long-term player? We are a long-term player.
We are here to stay and no questions about it.
Voters want a choice.
We are here and we are here in the minds of Goan people.
First, you say TMC will go alone, then you try to seduce GFP.
You even make anxal to Congress.
Is it confused about what strategies will be adopted in Goa? Look with GFP we have never had an alliance.
We say if you want to join, you combine yourself.
It’s not a shift attitude.
Tactically, MGP fights BJP in the north and we reduce its strength.
That is the most important thing.
So, I think our strategy has been tactical throughout.
We have been strategically much better than many others.
Do you feel that TMC has changed shortly by Prashant Kishor and I-PAC? Are you disappointed in the way things turned out in Goa? Not really.
Our plan came realized better than we imagined.
In four months, TMC has come and everyone in Goa knows what we stand for.
Our penetration to Goa has exceeded our wildest imagination.
I thought I-PAC had worked very well with us together and they had done a brilliant job.
Are we supposed to be one week before the election? Yes, us.