Cong, NCP strategies differ

While BJP is campaigning mainly through village meetings & booth level discussions, Congress is resorting to public meetings & sabhas.

A study of campaign strategies of main rivals Congress-NCP combine and BJP in this tiny coastal paradise that votes on April 26, makes for interesting observations about the contesting parties and candidates.

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While BJP is campaigning mainly through village meetings and booth level discussions, Congress, especially in South Goa, is resorting to public meetings and sabhas, "hoping to showcase its strength," observers say.

It's been a tradition almost for Congress, to hold huge rallies, mostly after sun set, under the glow of petrol lamps in its bastion- South Goa. It's candidate this time, former Chief Minister and MP Churchill Alemao is well aware that it is a battle for his and a lot of other Congress leader's survival and is leaving no stone unturned.

His opponent, sitting MP Ramakant Angle of BJP is keeping a comparitively low profile, partly due to his own party strategy.

"Angle as a candidate has not done much for the people. If we put him up on the stage, no one will vote for him. Instead, we are concentrating on Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's achievement and Vajpayee's leadership," says a party source.

His candidature has been the subject of much conjecture in party circles, with many feeling that he was a not a deserving nominee as he had not put in much work during his tenure as MP.

Campaigning for him are Power Minister Digambad Kamat and Parrikar, both of whom are big draws for BJP.

However, it's a different picture in the north of the state, with hardly any visible campaign for Congress-NCP candidate Wilfred D'souza, while his main opponent, Union Minister and sitting MP Sripad Naik of BJP is pretty much running the show on his own.

With most party leaders concentrating on the dicey South Goa seat, Naik, whom many consider a clear winner, is holding fort on his own, with village and booth level meetings and improptu addresses.

D'souza's campaign on the other hand seems to have run into rough weather at the start itself, with senior Congress leader and former Chief Minsiter Pratapsingh Rane allgedly refusing to run his campaign inspite of being appointed campaign manager.

Rane, who is perceived as being a BJP sympathiser despite being in the Congress said yesterday "he had not been consulted by his party while appointing him as D'souza's manager."

The former Chief Minister's statement has only added to the woes of the NCP-congress Alliance, with workers of both parties alleging that the other was not "working hard enough and co-operating."

Though campaigning is on in Goa, it is lacking visibility of high-end speakers and celebrity participation.