Where’s Chella Kumar & new Cong president for Goa?
Where’s Dr Chella Kumar, and, his promise to give a new Congress president for Goa? When the AICC general secretary in-charge of Goa left for Delhi after consultations with local Congress leaders, hopes were raised that Goa Congress will soon get a new president, so much so, that speculations were rife that a new president may take over the reigns of office within 8-10 days. So what has gone wrong for the Congress bosses in Delhi to handpick the a new state president to succeed Shantarambab Naik. Is it because that most of the MLAs are opposed to AICC secretary Girishbab for the coveted post, or is it simply because Goa is not on the priority list of the Congress bigwigs in Delhi. Wait and watch as Dr Chella Kumar has said it may take some days for the appointment of the new Goa State president.
‘Aggressive’ Digambar does it again
It was a week when an “aggressive” Diggu stole the limelight at the Congress media briefing called by incumbent President Shantarambab Naik on the contentious mining and power tariff, leaving many a political observer to wonder whether the Margao MLA was all bracing up to take up future challenges. At first, an impression was generated in Congress circles that Diggu might have been invited by Shatarambab for the media briefing or was told by the Congress leadership to attend the conference given that he had held the portfolios of TCP, mining and power in the past. Realisation, however, later dawned that Diggu was neither invited nor was told by the party bosses to address the media called by the Congress chief in the Congress House before he stole the limelight. Diggu seemed raring to take on the saffron brigade head on.
Filipe Neri draws ire of party men
Velim MLA, Filipebab Neri, who is a member of the Vijai-Babush controlled Town & Country Planning Board, seemed to have come under the scanner of a section of Congressmen. While the Vijai-Babush duo seemed to have handled the storm brewing along the Taleigao-Santa Cruz plateau in their inimitable fashion, Congressmen, sources said Congressmen seemed to have now trained their guns on the Velim MLA and have put forth their demand for his resignation from the Town & Country Planning Board. Low profile Filipebab had made it on the TCP Board, thanks to the Vijai-Babush duo, but Congressmen led by Avinashbab Tavares and others are reported to have petitioned to the party bosses to demand that the Velim MLA severe his ties with the TCP Board. Wait and watch.
Vishwajit plays on Saxtti pride
It was a week when Health Minister Vishwajitbab Rane played on the Saxtti pride when he descended on the coastal belt along with Varca strongman Bab Churchill. Many an observer around Saxtti countryside were left to wonder as he kept harping that Saxttikars need not worry over the health infrastructure, reassuring them that the district hospital will have the best of facilities. That he sought to cap the row by announcing that the district hospital will be named as “Hospicio” indicates that the Health Minister sought to reach out to the people in the minority heartland. That’s not all. Vishwajitbab even promised to regularise contract nurses from Saxttidom on priority, sending a reassuring message that though he is no longer in the Congress camp, the saffron colour will in no way blind him to the health issues in Saxttidom. Vishwajitbab also heaped praises on Churchillbab. Sounds surprising, isn’t it?
Girish mantra: attack alliance partners
AICC Secretary Girishbab Chodankar is one Congress leader, who apparently feels that the time has come to take the battle in the camp of the alliance partners, including the regional players and the individuals. In the bargain, he does not agree with the party MLAs, who seem not in favour of antagonising alliance partners, more so Goa Forward MLAs on the plea that the party may need their support to form an alternate government in the future. Girishbab says that a section of Congress leaders, including the MLAs, apparently want to deal with the alliance partners with kid gloves. He has told party leaders that the Congress has given enough room for the alliance partners by not taking them head on. His mantra to party bosses is to just maintain heat on the alliance partners, beginning with Fatorda, Siolim, Saligao and Porvorim and see the difference. Are there any takers?
