Congress Puts Into Action New 'Strategy' To Keep Its Flock Together Ahead Of Election Results

The party's strategy is to keep its flock together in case of a hung assembly in Goa, Uttarakhand and Punjab.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi (Getty Images)

New Delhi: To avoid a repeat of the 2017 fiasco in states like Goa and Manipur, where it failed to form a government despite emerging as the single largest party, Congress has sent some of its senior leaders to Goa, Uttarakhand and Punjab.

The party's strategy is to keep its flock together in case of a hung assembly in these states, PTI reported.

The Congress has deputed senior leader Deepinder Hooda as its special observer in Uttarakhand. Hooda, along with Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, will strategise the party's actions after the results on March 10. 

Hooda will leave for Uttarakhand on Tuesday morning, PTI reported.

Congress sources said plans were also afoot to shift its newly-elected legislators to a safe location in Congress-ruled states of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

The party has also deployed other leaders in Goa and Punjab. They will assess the post-poll scenario and keep its legislators together, PTI reported quoting the party sources.

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They said the MLAs would be kept at "safe locations" to prevent "possible attempts by others to poach them".

Following the 2017 election in Goa, BJP formed the government despite Congress emerging as the single largest party with 17 seats.

The BJP also came to power in Manipur for the first time in 2017 even though Congress emerged as the single largest party with 28 seats. BJP formed the government with support from NPP, NPF and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP).

Exit polls have predicted a photo finish between Congress and BJP in Uttarakhand and Goa, while most of them have projected a victory for the Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab.