GPCC president Luizinho Faleiro on Thursday brushed aside qualms within the Congress organization over its Cumbarjua MLA Pandurang Madkaikar joining the ruling alliance while claiming that the party, through its block, has identified several fresh faces in the Assembly segment.
The GPCC president stated, “Cumbarjua has always been and will continue be a bastion of Congress. Come what may. Through the grassroot-level candidate-selection process, we have with us several new faces in Cumbarjua. There is no worry over the possible departure of Madkaikar.”
However, when contacted, Cumbarjua Block Congress committee members denied having made any such suggestions.
Speaking to The Goan, Cumbarjua Block Congress president Samil Voilvoikar said, “We had suggested only one name to the district Congress and that name was Pandurang Madkaikar, our sitting MLA. We have not sent any other names.”
Volvoikar also stated that despite the reports of Madkaikar being in talks with the ruling alliance, Cumbarjua Block Congress continues to stand by the MLA till he formally exits the party.
“As of today, the block is fully with him (Madkaikar). We do not have any Plan B and we will not start searching for another candidate till he makes an official announcement,” said the Cumbarjua Block president.
Earlier this week, All India Congress Committee general secretary in-charge of Goa Digvijaya Singh had hinted that the Congress will not be pressurized by any elements. He was also curt in his comments on Madkaikar while noting that the otherwise active Congress MLA has lately been making contradictory statements on his future within the party.
