the goan I network
MARGAO
The race for the vacant post of Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president appears poised for an interesting finish, even as reports emanating from the Congress camp indicates that a section of leaders, more so members of the legislative wing, have sought to link the election of the new president to the formation of the Congress-led government in the State.
That many a party MLA have apparently raised reservations to AICC Secretary Girish Chodankar, a bete noire of Goa Forward party Chief and TCP Minister, Vijai Sardesai, from taking over the party reigns, indicates that members of the Legislative wing are clear that they do not want a new president who will come in the way of the CLP to form the alternate government with the help of the regional players. How the party high command will take a call on this crucial aspect remains to be seen, sources say, more so when party leaders belonging to the organizational wing in private came with a counter, saying the very same MLAs had dished out similar expectations on government formation when they had got then party president Luizinho Faleiro to make way for Shantaram Naik.
Sources said the entry of Sankalp Amonkar in the race is also being keenly watched in Congress circles. An organizational man, given that he had headed the NSUI and Youth Congress organization in the past, sources said that Sankalp’s name has come at a time when a section of MLAs raised the pitch against Girish Chodankar’s candidature.
It is learnt that amongst the two MLAs, Digambar Kamat and Reginaldo Lourneco, sources in the Congress said the former Chief Minister has got the backing of most of the he party MLAs as well as from people in the organization. Sources, however, said it remains to be seen whether the party would stick to the one man, one post norm, or would settle for a MLA to head the party organization.
That’s not all. Given that incumbent GPCC Chief Shantaram Naik had quit office in response to Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s call to senior party leaders to make way for the younger lot, sources wonder whether the party high command will bring in the old guard, with most of the party veterans, including Digambar Kamat and Francisco Sardinha and others in their mid or late 60s.
When The Goan posed a query to AICC general secretary in-charge of Goa desk Dr Chellakumar to shed light on the number of candidates shortlisted for the top slot, he said the two-day exercise he carried out in Goa during the weekend was basically aimed at assessing the views and opinions of the party leaders. “I have not shortlisted the names of any candidates for the top slot. I will compile a report of my deliberations with Goa party leaders and submit the same to the party president Rahul Gandhi to take a call”, he said.
