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THE GOAN NETWORK
MAPUSA
The Goa Forward Party (GFP) on Sunday disowned its State minority cell chairman who was incidentally found present at a campaign meeting of the Congress candidate for the Mapusa by-election.
A photo of the Goa Forward Party Minority Cell chairman, Firoz Khan sitting on the dais of a campaign meeting of Congress candidate Sudhir Kandolkar went viral on social media on Sunday putting the Goa Forward Party, which is in alliance with the BJP in an embarrassing position.
“With reference to a post regarding Goa Forward Minority Chairman Firoz Khan extending support to Congress candidate in Mapusa circulated on social media, we would like to clarify the individual (Feroz Khan) hasn’t been with us since the assembly poll results in 2017,” said Durgadas Kamat, Vice President of GFP in a statement.
“Goa Forward had disbanded the minority wing long back in 2018 and the party is yet to announce the new minority wing which will be done post the Lok Sabha elections,” he added.
However, Firoz Khan, a resident of Mapusa, said that he was still the chairman of Goa Forward Party Minority Cell as he has not resigned nor was he removed from the party.
“I continue to be the chairman of the GFP Minority Cell. I have neither resigned nor have I received any formal intimation from the party of my removal,” Khan told The Goan.
Kamat said that Goa Forward Party had declared the new State Executive Committee under the leadership of Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai, youth wing under the leadership of Saligao MLA Jayesh Salgaonkar, Raj Malik as youth president, OBC wing under the leadership of Vinod Palienkar and ST Cell under the leadership of MMC Councilor Tito Cardozo in 2018.
GFP, which is part of the BJP-led government in the State, has backed all the BJP candidates in the three by-elections and parliamentary polls.
