MARGAO
Tempers ran high both inside and outside the city-based hotel where AICC Goa Desk in-charge, Dinesh Gundu Rao was interacting with party leaders and workers after his arrival on Thursday.
There was commotion outside the hotel in full public view when a South Goa district Committee member was seen charging towards district president Joe Dias. The member was being stopped by other district Committee members, including Deepak Kharangate, Yeman D’Souza and others as the irate member was reportedly seeking to know why he was not invited to meet the Goa desk in-charge.
While dismissing the allegation made by the member that he was not invited for a meeting with Dinesh Gundu Rao, Joe said the district committee was told to come in a 10-member delegation, adding that he could not invite all the members to meet Rao because of the restriction in the number.
Sources claimed that heated exchanged ensued between party leader Sankalp Amonkar and North Goa district chief Vijai Bhike over an issue when North Goa block presidents were scheduled to meet Rao.
Amonkar, however, denied that any such incident had taken place inside the hotel. In fact, he asked the media to show the proof that he had charged towards the North Goa district president.
With many believing that the AICC Goa desk in-charge has come to Goa with an agenda to replace incumbent GPCC Chief Girish Chodankar, those opposing any such move had come in strength in the hotel to call on the observer.
Meanwhile, South Goa district committee Secretary Usman Khan later told the media that he was deliberately kept out of the district committee delegation that was scheduled to call on Dinesh Gundu Rao.
Demanding to know why he was not invited to meet the Goa desk incharge, he alleged that the district committee headed by Joe Dias kept him out just because he belongs to the minority community.
He also questioned attempts being made to replace Girish Chodankar as the party chief. Girish has toiled hard at the grassroots to build the party. Party workers are solidly behind the GPCC President, he added.
