AAP, AITC will split anti-BJP votes in Goa: Chidambaram

The Congress-AAP verbal spat escalated on Monday along with their competitive attempts to garner maximum anti-BJP votes in the Goa assembly polls. Congress' Goa election observer P Chidambaram claimed the fight was between his party and the BJP. Parties such as AAP and AITC will only fracture the non-BJP votes, he said. AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal hit back by asking Chidambaram to stop 'whining'. Congress is the only 'hope' for the BJP in Goa, he claimed.

"My assessment that AAP (and the AITC) will only fracture non-BJP vote in Goa has been confirmed by Mr Arvind Kejriwal. The contest in Goa is between Congress and BJP," Chidambarm said as part of a series of tweets on his take on Goa elections. Soon, Kejriwal, who ruled out a pre-poll alliance recently, hit back: "Sir, stop whining 'our votes are being cut'. Goans will vote where they see hope. Congress is hope for BJP, not Goans. 15 of your 17 MLAs switched to BJP. Congress guarantee - every vote to Congress will be safely delivered to BJP. To vote BJP, route through Congress for safe delivery," Kejriwal tweeted.

Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut waded into the conversation with an appeal to all anti-BJP parties to agree to make former BJP CM Manohar Parikkar's son Utpal a joint candidate if he quits BJP. "If #Utpal Parrikar contests (as) Independent from Panaji, I propose all non-BJP parties including @AamAadmaiParty, @INCIndia, @AITCongress and @Goaforwardparty should support his candidature and not field a candidate against him. This will be a true tribute to ManohanBhai," Raut said. Utpal Parrikar has been sulking after the BJP indicated the Panaji seat could be given to a senior party leader.