New GPCC chief in a day or two, Shantaram frontrunner

the goan I networkrPANAJIrThe new president of Goa Pradesh Congress Committee is likely to be appointed within the next two days. Sources from within the party disclosed that present Congress Rajya Sabha member Shantaram Naik is at the forefront of the race. rThe other names recommended for the post include former Union minister Ramakant Khalap, AICC secretary Girish Chodankar, rMargao-based businessman Datta Nayak and Ponda MLA Ravi Naik. rLeader of Opposition Chandrakant “Babu” Kavlekar had a one hour-long meeting with Dr A Chelllakumar and AICC vice president Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on Tuesday where several names for the top post were discussed. rConfirming the agenda of the meeting, Kavlekar told The Goan, “I was summoned by AICC vice president Rahul Gandhi along with Goa desk in-charge AICC secretary Dr A Chellakumar to discuss the matter concerning appointment of a new GPCC chief. The announcement is likely to be made within a day or two.” rKavalekar sought to clarify that it is only on the insistence of the present GPCC president Luzinho Faleiro that the change is being considered. “CLP has been and will continue to be firmly behind the PCC president,” Kavlekar stated dismissing the rreports about a rift between Luizinho-led PCC and rthe Congress Legislative Party (CLP). rLast month, Faleiro had addressed a letter to AICC president Sonia Gandhi repeating his earlier request to be relieved of his responsibilities. rOn June 23, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Luizinho Faleiro yet again requested the party’s national president Sonia Gandhi to relieve him from the top post. “As some of the MLAs feel that my continuation creates a hindrance to the formation of the government, I would request you to relieve me of my responsibilities,” Faleiro had stated in the letter addressed to Gandhi wherein he urged her to accept the resignation tendered by him previously. rThe letter states that under Faleiro the Congress organization was built from scratch and as opposed to the six seats held by the party in the last Assembly polls, the party’s strength rose to 17. rFaleiro took charge of Goa Congress in mid-October 2014. He had tendered his resignation to the party high command last year. The resignation, however, was not accepted by the All India Congress Committee.