PANAJI
The simmering battle for control of the Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP) between the faction aligned to its ex-president Manoj Parab and the one led by party MLA Viresh Borkar, thus far played out in press conferences and social media memes, is inevitably hurtling towards an adjudication by the Election Commission of India in Delhi.
On Thursday, the dispute took an interesting turn with the Parab aligned faction gaining a temporary edge at the all-party meeting convened by Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sanjay Goel.
Representatives of both factions attended the meeting on the Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls, but only Ajay Kholkar, who is from the Manoj Parab camp, was allowed to sign the attendance register, triggering fresh questions over who officially represents the party.
The meeting was called by Goel's office to brief political parties on electoral roll revision and distribute draft electoral rolls and the presence of representatives of both the rival RGP factions was the centre of attention.
Kholkar, who was the party treasurer before the dispute surfaced and was subsequently 'removed' by the other faction represented the Parab-aligned group.
Ruvina Shirodkar, appointed president by the Borkar faction after Parab resigned, attended.
Addressing reporters after the meeting, CEO Sanjay Goel clarified that the issue of recognition of either faction and updating its registered address rests solely with the Election Commission of India (ECI) and not with him.
"The decision on whether to update the party's address or not lies with the Election Commission. Similarly, the ECI will decide who rightfully represents the party," Goel said.
He said, his office had received an application seeking a change in the party's registered address and had forwarded it to the ECI for consideration.
Until a decision is communicated, all official correspondence will continue to be sent to the address which is on record, Goel added.
According to Goel, the address registered with the CEO's office is the RGP office at Patto, which is currently under the control of the Parab-aligned group.
He said the invitation for Thursday's meeting was sent to that registered address and representatives from both sides turned up.
"We cannot decide which faction is official. Both groups should place their claims before the Election Commission of India. The Commission alone is empowered to take that decision," Goel said, adding that the aggrieved parties may also directly approach the ECI in New Delhi.
Reacting to the development, Shirodkar said her faction had already written to the CEO seeking details of representatives who attended the meeting.
"Once the reply comes, the public will know who is genuine and who is not," she said.
Kholkar, on the other hand, claimed that the invitation was addressed to his side.
"I attended as the RGP representative. Why Shirodkar attended, I do not know," he said.
