MARGAO
In a disclosure that would send clear signals that the Congress party was clear in its decision to demand scrapping of the controversial RP-21, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee Chief Girish Chodankar said the Congress party had included the demand to bring changes in the RP-21 in the election manifesto only after consulting former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat.
Both Girish and Digambar showered praises on each other at the Margao Block Congress Committee meeting, as the Margao MLA welcomed the GPCC chief with a bouquet of flowers in his constituency on Wednesday evening.
“While giving final touches to the Congress election manifesto, we were in the process of taking a stand on the RP-21. We all felt that the RP-21 was formulated during the tenure of Chief Minister after taking inputs from experts and architects and from the village panchayats. But, Kamat was magnanimous in saying he had no problem if the party felt that more changes were required in the RP-21. He was clear that the party should go with the people,” Girish said, while addressing the Margao Block Congress workers here on Wednesday evening.
The GPCC Chief said that any other Chief Minister or Minister would not have given his nod to bring additional changes in the RP-21.
Girish also showered praises on Margao Block Congress President Gopal Naik for holding regular block meetings without fail since he took charge of office a couple years ago.
In his address, the six-time Margao MLA said he had absolutely no problem with the new GPCC Chief. “There were reports in many quarters that there were serious differences between me and Girish after the latter was named as the new Congress president. I had never staked any claim for the position, but I had told leaders that I will not shy away if given the responsibility,” Kamat told the workers, reminding that he had become the Chief Minister in 2007 without lobbying for the post.
Kamat took the platform to urge the party workers to gear up not only for the 2019 Lok Sabha election, but also for the mid-term poll. “The possibility of a mid-term election in Goa along with LS poll cannot be ruled out. We have to be ready,” he told the workers.
Sending a clear signal that he is well connected with the grass-root workers, Kamat pointed out that the 2017 election result had silenced his opposition who claimed he will not get elected from Margao because of the slums. The Margao MLA further told the workers that the unity of the opposition parties in Bangalore will keep it in good stead in the 2019 Lok Sabha election.
South Goa District President Joe Dias and other Congress leaders also addressed the block meeting.
