Goa: In Delhi, Michael Lobo woos both Congress and BJP top brass, eyes TCP for himself, NGPDA for wife

NEW DELHI: With days left for the Assembly poll results to be declared, politicians in Goa are feeling the heat. Hectic parleys and lobbying is the order of the day and MGP’s Sudin Dhavalikar, Congress’ Michael Lobo and two more bigwigs from Goa are busy with meetings and attempts to form post-poll alliances.

According to a local media report, merely days before the Goa Assembly poll results are to be declared, former BJP Ports Minister and subsequently Congress Calangute candidate Michael Lobo, whose last minute switch from the BJP to the Congress before the elections raised eyebrows, is said to be prowling the corridors of power in Delhi trying his best to land the best deal for him and his wife, regardless of whichever party forms the next government.

Political circles in New Delhi are abuzz with gossip that Lobo met Home Minister Amit Shah and National General Secretary B L Santhosh late last night to put forward his demand for the Town and Country Planning (TCP) ministry for himself and the chairperson-ship of the North Goa Planning and Development Authority for his wife who is also a Congress candidate, as a condition to supporting the BJP.

The meeting assumes significance because it took place before Lobo met his leader and Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal to discuss government formation as part of the Congress alliance.

Michael’s move is seen in political circles as an attempt to keep his feet in both boats in case of a hung assembly. He apparently tried to impress HM Shah that he has the support of 4-5 Congress candidates from Bardez in North Goa, who could switch over to the BJP on his command.

According to sources, in the meeting, Lobo was apparently told by Shah – who was not impressed with Lobo’s claims, to get in touch with Devendra Fadnavis, the BJP election in-charge for Goa, to seek his opinion and to work out the modalities if Fadnavis approved of it.

Lobo is expected to rush to Mumbai straight from Delhi on Saturday to meet Fadnavis. It is yet to be seen if Fadnavis will entertain his request for a meeting.

Interestingly, in today morning Lobo met Venugopal at the AICC headquarters with his conditions of the TCP portfolio for himself and his wife as NGPDA chairperson while discussing future steps to form a Congress government if the party managed to secure the crucial numbers.

When contacted, senior Goa Congress leaders said they had no information or details of Micheal Lobo’s surprise Delhi visit. In fact senior Congress leaders were surprised when told that Lobo was in Delhi meeting Venugopal, without the knowledge of senior Goa leaders.

Lobo was not available for comment and attempts to contact him proved futile.

Another Goan politician who is courting both the BJP and the Congress is Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party supremo Sudin Dhavalikar.

According to a Herald report, Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar is positioning himself as the suitable boy for all political parties.