PANAJI
All India Congress Committee's (AICC) Goa in-charge and former Maharashtra Minister Manikrao Thakare on Friday talked tough on inner-party discipline and has warned of "stringent action" against indiscipline in the party in Goa.
Thakare was speaking to party workers at the GPCC headquarters in Panaji where newly appointed Goa Mahila Congress president Pratiksha Khalap was inducted on Friday.
All India Mahila Congress President Alka Lamba, GPCC President Amit Patkar, AICC Secretary-in-Charge Dr Anjali Nimbalkar, Girish Chodankar and other office bearers were present.
Thakare said, some people in the Goa Congress have forgotten about party discipline and are spreading mischievous stories in the media.
"Indiscipline will not be tolerated anymore. Strict action will be taken against such people," Thakare said.
"Some party decisions are taken at the Central leadership level. Everyone should welcome these decisions without secretly opposing them. If someone wants to leave the party, they should," Thakare said, adding that the party does not function on the whims of any single person.
While Thakare did not reveal the immediate provocation for his tough talk on party discipline, a hint came in Patkar's address later when he revealed that some people were spreading misinformation that Khalap may quit her Mahila president position in 15 days.
"This is a rumour and Khalap has the full support of the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee," Patkar said, adding that some insiders are involved in pulling the party back.
He told the party workers to report to the GPCC if there is anyone spreading rumours about the party affairs.
Lamba meanwhile, appealed to women in Goa to raise their voices against injustice. She said that the Congress party is committed to providing political, economic and social justice to women.
Khalap in her acceptance speech said that she will strive to provide equal opportunities for women in Goa in employment and work to remove obstacles to their progress.
