Panaji, A get-together at a popular resort in Goa ostensibly to celebrate former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat's birthday may well be the beginning of a long spell of isolation for Congress candidates ahead of counting day (March 10).

Several party candidates walked into the resort, where top Congress leaders have already checked into, with their attendants lugging suitcases on Tuesday.

State Congress chief Girish Chodankar, asked if the party was trying to put its candidates out of range from possible poaching efforts by the Bharatiya Janata Party, said: "Even if we want to stay for a month, we can stay on. Today is a birthday, we want to celebrate, because after elections, nobody got together like this. They are getting opportunity now."

Asked if the Congress was worried about the BJP spiriting away its candidates, Chodankar said: "No one has the guts to spirit away our candidates. Even those who may want to go, they are scared."

The Congress had 17 MLAs after the results were declared after the 2017 state Assembly polls, but were left with only two MLAs by the beginning of 2022, following a series of desertions.