MARGAO
All India Congress Committee (AICC) Goa desk in-charge Dinesh Gundu Rao’s sudden decision to cut short his three-day visit to the State has sent confusing signals for party leaders and the rank and file, triggering speculations whether the Congress high command has any plans to send a new in-charge for Goa ahead of the 2022 electoral battle.
Questions are also doing the rounds in Congress circles and outside whether the high command has any plans to replace Gundu Rao on the issue of Mhadei as he hails from Karnataka, which had been at loggerhead with Goa on the emotive issue.
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) Chief Girish Chodankar, who dropped Dinesh Gundu Rao at the Dabolim airport on Thursday morning, said he has no idea what made the AICC Goa desk in-charge to cut short his three-day visit to Goa. “All that was told to me by Rao is that he has to leave for Bengaluru for personal reasons”, Girish said.
Other senior leaders, who were surprised over Rao’s decision to cut short his visit to Goa, also feigned ignorance on the reasons behind his decision to return home. “The decision has only left the party rank and file confused. State party leaders and workers have been looking forward for Rao’s visit to Goa and resolve the leadership issue. Now, his sudden decision to return home has sent confusion signals whether the high command has any plan for his replacements”, the leader added.
Sources said the development comes ahead of the planned revamp of the AICC by the Congress top brass after the end of the ongoing session of Parliament, only throwing up questions whether the high command has any plan to send a senior leader to Goa ahead of the 2022 Assembly election.
