Panaji, Dec 9 (IANS): The Congress in Goa sought to reach out to disillusioned RSS and BJP workers to join the Opposition to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition government in the coastal state ahead of the 2022 state Assembly polls.

The Congress on Thursday inducted two active Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh volunteers -- Mahesh Mahambrey and Hrudaynath Shirodkar -- both of whom have been tasked to reach out to RSS and BJP, who are unhappy with the incumbent BJP-led coalition regime, to join the Congress.

"We will definitely appeal. That is our role. When we come from that family, it is our duty to reach out to them and convince them. There is a national issue now. But we need to protect Goa and will take all the tough steps to safeguard its interests," Shirodkar told reporters after his formal induction into the Congress party.

Shirodkar also said that if the RSS can openly align with the Congress in Kerala, the Sangh could also ally with the Congress in Goa.

"The Sangh does not instruct its members to join a particular party. But if you go to Kerala, the Sangh is aligned with the Congress, they are not with the Left, because the ideology is completely different," Shirodkar told reporters, after formally joining the Congress.

"When the Sangh can align with Congress in Kerala, it can also align with the Congress in Goa," he also said.

The duo joined the Congress in the presence of state president Girish Chodankar at the party's state headquarters.