the goan I network
MARGAO
After losing the race for the South Goa Lok Sabha ticket to three-time former MP Francisco Sardinha, Mahila Congress chief Pratima Coutinho on Tuesday said that she would continue to serve the Congress party till the last, scotching all rumours and sending a message loud and clear to her critics that she may quit the party over the denial of ticket to her.
In fact, Pratima said she humbly accepted the decision of the Congress leadership, saying “may be the party high command thought that I am more required in Goa than in Delhi”.
She, however, said her struggle for 33 per cent reservation for women will continue irrespective of the party decision to give the South Goa ticket to Sardinha, as she thanked all the Congress mahilas who stood by her till the last.
“I want to give a clear message to all my brothers and sisters that I shall continue to work for the Congress party in the future like I had worked loyally during the last 23 years,” she said, adding that she would work for the Congress till her last.
While Pratima refused to field any questions over what went wrong, when her supporters say that even the Shakti App exercise had gone in her favour, sources in the know say that the Mahila Congress chief in private is pointing accusing fingers at the top local Congress in Goa for sabotaging her ticket. A loyal Pratima supporter said when all the reports, including Shakti App went in favour of Pratima, a top senior Congress leader from Goa scuttled her ticket by raising the bogey of winnability.
“I do not want to say anything as to who worked behind the scenes to sabotage my ticket. Let me come out of all this for the moment. These Goa leaders had even expected me that I will leave the Congress party after the denial of ticket, but I am here to stay in the Congress,” Pratima told The Goan.
Asked whether she would join Sardinha’s campaign if asked by the Party high command, Pratima quipped
‘let me first come out of this situation’.
|Struggle for 33 per cent reservation for women will continue irrespective of the party decision to give the South Goa ticket to Sardinha, as she thanked all the Congress mahilas who stood by her till the last
I want to give a clear message to all my brothers and sisters that I shall continue to work for the Congress party in the future like I had worked loyally during the last 23 years
I do not want to say anything as to who worked behind the scenes to sabotage my ticket. Let me come out of all this for the moment. These Goa leaders had even expected me that I will leave the Congress party after the denial of ticket, but I am here to stay in the Congress
I humbly accept the decision of the Congress leadership and ‘may be the party high command thought that I am more required in Goa than in Delhi’
