Cong show-causes Elvis for promoting rival ZP nominee

PANAJI
The Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) has issued a show-cause notice to its Executive Committee member Elvis Gomes, accusing him of working against the party’s official candidate in the Aldona Zilla Panchayat constituency during the ongoing ZP elections.
In a notice issued on Friday, GPCC president Amit Patkar informed Gomes that the party’s central leadership had received a complaint alleging that he actively campaigned for an Independent candidate instead of the Congress nominee. The notice states that Gomes, through a video appeal, sought votes for Independent candidate Alvito D’Silva in Aldona, despite the Indian National Congress having fielded Maria alias Mary Menezes as its official ZP candidate.
According to the GPCC, the video appeal clearly indicated Gomes’ intention to ensure the victory of the Independent candidate, which the party said amounted to an attempt to defeat its own candidate. The party termed the act as “clearly an anti-party activity”.
The notice further pointed out that as a member of the GPCC Executive Committee, Gomes is duty-bound to support and campaign for party candidates during elections. It also alleged that he was not participating in the campaign activities of Congress candidates in the ZP polls.
“Your appeal to voters openly shows that you want the Independent candidate to win, which demonstrates that you are seeking to defeat the candidate of the Indian National Congress,” the notice states.
Based on these allegations, Gomes has been asked to explain why disciplinary action should not be initiated against him. He has been given seven days to submit his reply.
The development comes amid internal tensions within the Congress over the Zilla Panchayat elections, with the party leadership taking a strict stand against any deviation from the official line or support for independent candidates.