Congress, Trinamool Congress leaders take dig at each other as poll battle lines firm up in Goa

Trinamool Congress and Congress leaders on Saturday took a dig at each other as the election process is gathering pace in Goa with the latter rejecting the former's offer of alliance in the state.

While Mahua Moitra, who is Goa in charge of Trinamool Congress, said that it was "waiting for revert" and "uninformed false bravado no substitute for rational thinking", Congress leader Dinesh Gundu Rao accused TMC of dividing "anti-BJP vote".

Rao's response came after a tweet by Moitra in which she had said Trinamool Congress had made a "formal and definitive offer to INC on Goa to defeat BJP" two weeks ago.

She had also taken a dig at Congress leader P Chidambaram, who is senior election observer of the party, in Goa and said he should talk to his party's leadership if he is not aware of details.

"AITC already made formal and definitive offer to INC on Goa to defeat BJP 2. INC leadership asked for time to revert. This was almost 2 weeks ago. 3. If Mr. Chidambaram not aware of details he should talk to his leadership rather than making these statements," Moitra had said in her tweet.

Dinesh Gundu Rao, in his response to her tweet, also referred to an earlier tweet by party leader KC Venugopal and asked whose reply was she waiting for.

"Trinamool's brilliant strategy to defeat BJP in Goa is weaken Congress and divide the anti BJP vote. If @kcvenugopalmp 's tweet wasn't reply enough, I wonder who from amongst Delhi leaders response is @MahuaMoitra awaiting. And Trinamool's brilliant strategy to defeat BJP in Goa is weaken Congress and divide the anti BJP vote. Whom does that help Moitraji?" Dinesh Gundu Rao said in a tweet.

Moitra, MP, later did not directly refer to Dinesh Gundu Rao but said she did not want to "engage in further Twitter shadow boxing" with various Congress functionaries.

"Uninformed false bravado no substitute for rational thinking & maturity. Definitve offer between principals on table - waiting for revert. No desire to engage in further Twitter shadow boxing with various INC functionaries," she said.

Venugopal, who is Congress general secretary (Organisation), had said on January 10 that no discussions were held on an alliance with Trinamool Congress and Congress was confident of putting Goa back on the path to progress soon.

"The rumour in circulation that a possible alliance with TMC was discussed by Shri @RahulGandhi in today's meeting is completely baseless & untrue. Let me assure that the Congress party is confident- we will put Goa back on the path to progress soon," Venugopal had said.

Congress is apparently irked at "poaching" by Trinamool Congress in the state. Former CM of Goa and Congress leader Luizinho Faleiro had joined TMC in September last year. He was later nominated to Rajya Sabha by Trinamool Congress.

Assembly elections will be held in Goa on February 14.

( With inputs from ANI )

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