Margao: Cracks have appeared in Goa First alliance of AAP and GFP, with the ‘anti-defection’ banners put up by them disappearing from the state’s highways. GFP president Vijai Sardesai acknowledged that his party brought them down, saying they will soon be replaced with “banners that people want”. He stopped short of announcing any break with AAP and joining hands with a Congress-led alliance, citing the ongoing inauspicious pitra paksha.The development comes a day after AAP Goa targeted Congress over past defections, with the slogan “Ek kachori, do samosa, teen Congress MLAs ka kya bharosa!” The jibe caused tension within the alliance, and Sardesai said the public mood was not in favour of hitting out at the principal opposition party.Sardesai turned to the familiar mankurad mango analogy to make his decision palatable to voters.“In an economy, consumer is king. If you sell Afonso variety of mango in Goa which is popular instead of the mankurad one, you will have no buyers, because Goans have relished the taste of mankurad,” he said. Politics, he added, works the same way: “Voter is king.”The Fatorda MLA said he couldn’t afford to ignore the views of the king. “Goan voters strongly want a grand opposition alliance of all forces opposed to BJP. The removal of banners is a manifestation of this voice of the people,” said Sardesai.“People feel that if this alliance has to grow, there is no point in targeting the principal opposition party,” he said. Having been called a ‘defector party’ by GFP not too long ago, Congress was obviously having the last laugh.Sardesai chose to use AAP’s samosa-kachori jibe at Congress to further his goemkarponn agenda. “Ours is a party of self-respecting Goans, and all swabhimani Goans want all opposition forces to sit together, partake staple xit-koddi (rice and fish curry) and take Goa forward. I don’t know where this samosa-kachori came from.”Sardesai, however, took refuge in pitra paksha to keep his decisions guarded. “Our alliance with AAP stays, and I want this alliance to grow wider,” he said. “No talks have taken place with Congress. All decisions will be taken after the inauspicious pitra paksha.”Nevertheless, following the removal of the banners, AAP hardened its stance, reiterating that Goa First alliance of AAP-GFP is a “non-BJP, non-Congress platform.”Congress, meanwhile, was quick to seize the opening. Congress spokesperson and former AAP state president Amit Palekar took to social media with a list of everything Goans relish.“Goenchi patal bhaji, Goan samosa, xit koddi, mankurad mango, amott-tik, chonak, ros omelette, buns, salad, xacuti, amsol, khatkhate, vadde, ani suki bhaji pav is what Goans love, not kachori, samosa, or chhole kulcha,” he wrote. “When you don’t understand the flavours of Goa, how do you expect to win the love of the people?”
