the goan I network
MARGAO
Differences have cropped up in the Velim unit of the Aam Aadmi Party over the failure of the party to field a candidate for the Velim Zilla Panchayat constituency and the latest party decision to extend support to independent candidate Taumaturgo Rodrigues.
A section of the party workers has questioned the decision of the party leadership to extend support to the independent without consulting the party rank and file.
Aggrieved AAP workers pointed out that the party leadership led by state convenor Elvis Gomes devotes more attention to Benaulim. “The volunteers from Velim are upset over the way the party has gone about the Velim ZP seat. First, the party could not find a viable candidate to contest the poll on the party banner and now the party has decided to support an independent,” a volunteer said, making it clear that the volunteers are unlikely to support the candidate.
When contacted, Elvis Gomes, however, blamed a section of volunteers for what he called “sabotaging” the party plan to field a candidate for the Velim seat. “When the party was all geared up to field a candidate in Velim, certain volunteers played mischief. Hence, the party could not field a candidate,” he said.
Elvis pointed out that there was no question of consulting the very volunteers who played foul in the entire episode, before declaring the party’s support to the independent candidate. “How can we consult the very volunteers whose actions were questionable on the issue of extending support to the independent candidate, Taumaturgo Rodrigues,” Elvis said and ruled out the possibility of the party doing a re-think on its
decision to extend support to Taumaturgo.
