MAPUSA
An overwhelming number of Congress workers and senior leaders from Calangute opposed the entry of current MLA Michael Lobo into the Congress but have vowed to work and elect a loyal party candidate from the constituency.
Around 100 diehard Congress workers and senior leaders who were present for the Calangute Congress Block meeting made it very clear to the senior Congress leadership that they will work against the Congress if Lobo was given the party ticket in Calangute.
“We will work our hearts out if any of the loyal party workers is given the ticket in Calangute. But if Congress tries to import a candidate from another party then we will have to think about it,” Agnel Fernandes, GPCC General Secretary and former two-time MLA from Calangute told The Goan.
GPCC President, Girish Chodankar, North Goa District President, Vijay Bhike among other leaders were present for the Congress block meeting in Calangute.
Strongly opposing the entry of Lobo into Congress, former Sarpanch of Calangute Joseph Sequeira said the party should give the ticket to only a loyal Congressman.
“If Lobo is given entry into the Congress and offered the ticket then we will work against the party in Calangute,” Sequeira said.
Several other Congress workers also made a strong pitch against the entry of Lobo into the Congress party.
The Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC), President, Girish Chodankar told the party workers that the Calangute Congress Block will recommend the names for the party ticket and later the screening committee will take the final call on the candidature.
“We will not allow Michael Lobo to destroy Calangute with his evil designs of PDA and Urbanisation,” Chodankar said but remained mum on Lobo’s entry into the Congress.
He said the BJP-led government in the State mishandled Covid management resulting in deaths of over 3000 innocent lives and also destroyed the economy which resulted in loss of jobs and businesses.
North Goa District President Vijay Bhike urged the block to focus on booth management as assembly elections could be held much earlier.
GPCC General Secretary Agnel Fernandes vowed to take the lead to unite everyone in Calangute.
“We have to kill the virus of defection in Goa and should not allow BJP leaders to contest on Congress in Calangute,” he said.
Block President Rajan Korgaokar, ZP candidate Lourence Silveira, Youth Congress District President Vivek D’Silva among others were also present for the meeting.
