MARGAO
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Luizinho Faleiro on Thursday asserted that he has not taken any decision on the question of contesting the 2017 Assembly election from Navelim, while admitting that he had requested Congress President Sonia Gandhi to look for his successor by relieving him the post having put the party organisation on track.Confusion and doubts were raised in many quarters after senior Congress Vice President, Moti Desai said that the PCC chief will not only continue as the party president, but will also contest the coming poll from Navelim.
Clearing the same, Luizinho said, “I am a humble soldier of the Party. As far as my contesting the assembly election is concerned I would like to state that I have not taken any decision in that regard. Congress Party has a well defined process for the selection of candidates for elections at all levels and accordingly each of the 40 candidates will be selected after consulting the Blocks/Districts/Pradesh Election Committee, Screening Committee and finally the decision will be taken by the Central Election Committee under the chairmanship of Congress President.”
As far as the question of continuing from the post of GPCC president is concerned, Luizinho said, the Congress president had entrusted him with the responsibility of building the organisation. “Upon putting the party organisation on track, I had requested Mrs Gandhi to look for my successor by relieving me. I am the caretaker of her confidence and I will continue to do so as long as she desires,” he added.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued on Thursday, Moti Desai said his statement that Faleiro will contest from Navelim constituency was based on his personal opinion as the election was approaching, adding that his statement should not be attributed to Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
“Having put the PCC organisation on track, Faleiro had indeed requested Mrs Gandhi to relieve him of his PCC presidentship. Therefore my statement be construed in the right perspective in as much upon Luizinho expressing his desire to be relieved as PCC president was requested by AICC President to continue in office,” Moti added.
Meanwhile, former GPCC president John Fernandes observed that the chaos created through the previous statement of Desai was “a knee jerk reaction of insecurity”.
“That the committee members are making such statements one-and-half year before the election shows that they are insecure. There are many more deserving and young faces in Navelim whom I have groomed and can be considered for the ticket,” Fernandes said.
