MARGAO
The Fatorda seat episode seemed to have brought to the fore sharp differences within the Congress camp over the tie-up with the Vijai Sardesai-led Goa Forward party. The million dollar question that is being asked in political circles both within the Congress and outside is whether it was a pre-planned move by a section of Congress leadership to field block Congress president Joseph Silva for Fatorda.
That the episode appeared planned and had the stamp of approval of a section of senior party leaders became clear when the GPCC chief signed the B Form of Joseph Silva as the Congress candidate for Fatorda despite the fact that AICC general secretary in-charge of Goa desk Digvijaya Singh asserting that Fatorda would be left for the GFP as part of seat sharing arrangement.
What’s interesting to note is that Faleiro has claimed that he had sent a messenger to the office of the Returning Officer with the request to withdraw the Form B earlier issued by him to Joseph Silva.
Inquiries by The Goan have now revealed that the withdrawal of the Form B did not reach the office of the Returning officer during the schedule time at 3 pm. Election officials said that the Returning officer is not bound to take cognizance of any correspondence beyond the scheduled time.
When the Returning Officer asked Jospeh during scrutiny on Thursday to produce evidence that he is a member of the Congress party, Joseph immediately sent an SOS to Faleiro to draft a letter so that the correspondence reaches the RO’s office within an hour.
The Goan understands that Faleiro’s office was immediately on the job drafting the letter, certifying that Joseph is a member of the Indian National Congress and also the President of the Fatorda Block Congress Committee, which literally saved the day for Joseph as the Returning Officer accepted his nomination paper filed on the Congress party.
Sources in the Faleiro camp also pointed out that the Joseph Silva’s episode was being monitored right from Delhi by leaders, who were opposed to a tie-up with the Goa Forward. “The Faleiro camp was constantly in touch with the Delhi leadership while the controversy over Joseph’s nomination broke out in Goa. Even a section of the leadership in Delhi were all opposed to the tie-up with GFP. It’s pointless in only blaming Faleiro
or Chella Kumar for the episode”, remarked a Congress leader.
When The Goan questioned Faleiro during his visit to the district collectorate at the time of scrutiny on Thursday to shed light on the episode, he replied that his office had in fact sent correspondence to the Returning Officer concerned for the withdrawal of the Form B issued to Joseph.
“I was out of my house for election campaigning throughout Wednesday. When the matter was brought to my notice, I had immediately issued a letter withdrawing the B Form given to Joseph Silva,” Faleiro said.
Election officials, however, stated that the Returning Officer would have taken cognisnace of the Form B withdrawal letter sent by the Goa Congress president had it reached the office before 3 pm. Call it wrong timing or planned timing!
