Old faces should not be discarded

Congress heavyweights seen engrossed in a lively discussion over tea after the Foundation Day celebration at the South district office. Santosh Mirajkar

“We have to at least promote 50 per cent new faces in the party. There is no second thought on this. But, that does not mean that you should disrespect the party elders. We are not living in Europe, but in India, where people believe in strong family values.

Old faces should not be discarded

Luizinho says movement will start from January next year

THE GOAN NETWORK

MARGAO

Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) chief Luizinho Faleiro on Monday sent a message loud and clear to the party rank and file that promoting new faces in the organization does not mean that party leadership should disrespect the elders, even as he gave a call to the workers to go and convince the people that the present government has failed them on all fronts in the last four years.

He also spoke on the possibility of completing the candidate selection process much before the Assembly election process is set in motion this time round.

Speaking at the Congress Foundation Day at the South Goa district office on Monday, Faleiro said there is no second thought on the need to promote new faces as per the popular aspirations of the people of Goa. “We have to at least promote 50 per cent new faces in the party. There is no second thought on this. But, that does not mean that you should disrespect the party elders. We are not living in Europe, but in India, where people believe in strong family values. Just because some of our party leaders have become old, we cannot forget them. Those who have no values to respect the elders will not respect anyone,” while saying that those who are pointing accusing fingers for giving importance to senior leaders in the party are envious of the Congress party’s senior party leadership.

Faleiro gave a call to the Congress workers to take a vow to bring the Congress party back to power. “Goa needs the Congress party. We lost the last election due to varied reasons. But, we have to also understand that people have seen the functioning of the present government. It is our responsibility to launch a movement to convince the people that the present government has only fooled them,” he said, even as he spoke of starting a movement from January next year.

In his address, former chief minister Digambar Kamat said the time has come for the people to bring about another parivartan to defeat the present government. “A government that cannot meet the requirements of the people on the health front has no right to stay in power. The government has neglected the Hospicio as well as the district hospital since the last four years,” he said.

Former chief ministers, Francisco Sardinha and Ravi Naik underlined the need to sink differences and said that a united Congress can defeat the BJP in the coming election. Party leaders MK Sheikh, South Goa district president Subhash Faldesai and others also spoke.