IN THE FRAYMARGAO: As suspense continues over the Congress candidate for the South Goa Lok Sabha seat, resentment seems to be brewing amongst a group of party MLAs from South Goa led by Digambar Kamat, which has been rooting for the candidature of High Court lawyer Adv Cleofato Coutinho for the party ticket.
>> Girish Chodankar
>> Francisco Sardinha
>> Pratima Coutinho
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KNOCKED OUT
>> Adv Cleofato Coutinho
>> Valanka Alemao
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FURIOUS FACTION
It wants to know ....
>> Why Digambar Kamat, who is the chief of the Congress campaign committee, and other MLAs had no say in the selection of candidates
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IN SUPPORT OF
CLEOFATO
Said Digambar ...
>> Adv Cleofato’s candidature had found favour with many, including some of the MLAs, as he was considered a new face and capable person
NO COMMENTS
>> When asked if his role as the chief campaign manager of the party is only to lead the election campaign, without any say in candidate selection
That Cleofato’s name was not considered by the Congress Screening Committee in Delhi on the lame excuse that he had joined the party just a couple of months ago, seemed to have not gone down well with the group of party MLAs, with an aggrieved MLA going to the extent of suspecting sabotage by a group of party leaders who claim themselves as the party cadre.
Digmabar Kamat along with five to six other MLAs from South Goa had projected Adv Cleofato as the probable candidate for South Goa seat after his candidature had found favour with social and political groups.
Resentment seemed brewing in the Digambar Kamat camp over the way the party did not consider the candidate favoured by the group of party MLAs. A close Kamat supporter demanded to know why Kamat, who has been appointed as the Chief of the Congress campaign committee, and the MLAs had no say in the selection of the candidates. “The Congress leadership only want Kamat given his status as the Chief Campaign Manager to lead the campaign of the party candidate without giving him or the MLAs any say in the candidate selection," a worker demanded to know.
The Margao MLA, who returned to Goa on Wednesday noon from Delhi, said he has nothing to say on the candidate selection. “My visit to Delhi was purely personal in nature and it has nothing to do with the ongoing process of selection of candidates," he said.
Kamat, however, admitted that Adv Cleofato’s candidature had found favour with many, including some of the MLAs in order, as he was considered a new face and capable person. He declined to comment when asked whether his role as the Chief Campaign manager of the Congress party is only to lead the election campaign, without any say in candidate selection.
A total of five candidates for the South Goa Lok Sabha ticket, including that of GPCC Chief Girish Chodankar, former three-time MP Francisco Sardinha, Mahila Congress Chief Pratima Coutinho and Adv Cleofato Coutinho, were suggested by the South Goa district Committee to the Pradesh Election Committee last week. The name of Valanka Alemao was not considered by the district Committee on the ground that her membership could not be verified by the committee.
