The Trinamool Congress' Goa campaign may end in a whimper going by current indications. Launched with much fanfare last October by attracting leaders from other parties, AITC seems to have lost steam.
Prasad Gaonkar, an Independent MLA from Sanguem who pledged to support AITC in October, has now pledged support to Congress. Former MLAs Lavoo Mamledar, Mohiddin Arif and other leaders too have quit AITC. In December, GPCC working president and 3-time MLA Aleixo Lourenco joined the AITC, but quit in a month.
"AITC simply parachuted into Goa. There is a subtle anger against migrants even though they contribute to the economy. AITC's entry has evoked fears of more outsiders arriving to the state," said an analyst, adding: "People don't understand Goa is a small state, where they have a personal relationship with the MLA. A legislator helps from getting electricity connections to even getting a traffic challan cancelled."
"The Congress has managed to create a sense that AITC will divide opposition votes and help BJP," an industrialist said. Lourenco echoed this when he apologised to the people of his constituency for joining an 'outside party to split opposition votes'.