Central Executive Committee of Goa Vikas Party on Thursday unanimously rejected the proposal voiced by party supremo and Nuvem MLA Mickky Pacheco to merge the party with United Goans Democratic Party (UGDP) while clearly asserting that the party will march into 2017 polls even if Pacheco decides to quit.
Eight members of GVP’s CEC met on Thursday under the chairmanship of vice president Ramnath Bandodkar also to deliberate the resignation letter received two hours before the meeting from GVP president Viola Pacheco.
Viola’s resignation as the party president and from the primary membership of the party has also been accepted by the CEC. In her absence, vice president will be the acting president, it was informed.
Speaking at Panaji, GVP general secretary Lyndon Monteiro stated, “Pacheco’s proposal for merger of GVP with UGDP has been rejected. The identity of the party should be maintained and strengthened. CEC has decided that any individual who wants to quit is free to do so. The party will march forward and contest 2017 polls.”
“Mickky’s proposal came to us through media reports. We have not received any formal communication from him about this. We will not take any decision specifically about him till we receive something from him,” Monteiro said while also pointing out that the sitting MLA cannot resign as the primary member of the party before the completion of his five year tenure.
However, the one-time Man Friday of the Nuvem MLA admitted that he was ‘shocked’ by his decision. “I was shocked by the decision of the party supremo. I have no problem or objection if he wants to move forward, I don’t want to be a leech. Political and personal relations are different. Political split is a result of ideological differences,” Monteiro stated.
Referring to effect of this turmoil on GVP’s 2017 polls strategy, the party’s CEC insisted that the battle plan will remain unharmed. Monteiro stated, “We are an upcoming party and we will contest according to our strength.”
The GVP general secretary also commented on the reports about GVP’s Benaulim MLA Caetano Silva’s intention to contest as an independent candidate in the upcoming elections. “If he intends to contest as an independent, we wish him luck. But he hasn’t formally communicated anything to us,’ Monteiro concluded.
