MARGAO
Rebellion is brewing in the Congress camp in the two crucial Zilla Panchayat constituencies of Benaulim and Colva over the finalisation of candidates for the two seats.
Former South Goa Zilla Panchayat chairpersons Nelly Rodrigues and Maria Rebello are all set to contest the upcoming polls as independent candidates. In fact, three-time former Benaulim Zilla Panchayat member Rebello quit the Congress party on Monday. In her resignation letter addressed to Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president, Maria stated, “I resign as a member of the Congress party for reasons of being sidelined, badly used at election time to get votes for the party candidates and being neglected and given no say whatsoever in a dictatorial set-up.”
After tendering her resignation letter at the South Goa District Congress office, Maria told 'The Goan' that she has decided to contest the Zilla Panchayat election from the Benaulim constituency as an Independent. “The Congress party just kept me waiting till the last moment. I realised on Monday that the party had not considered my request for the Congress ticket. My supporters and people have told me to contest the election as an independent,” she said.
Former four-time Colva Zilla Panchayat member and former South Goa ZP chairperson Nelly Rodrigues told 'The Goan' that her supporters have told her to contest the election as an Independent.
“I had written to the Congress expressing my willingness to contest the ZP poll from the Colva ZP seat on the party banner as per the request of my supporters and workers. Since the party ignored my claim, my supporters have requested me to contest the election as an independent candidate,” she added.
Both Maria and Nelly will file their papers as independent candidates on Tuesday, the last date of filing of nomination papers.
Sources informed that while certain top Congress leaders were in favour of nominating both Maria and Nelly for the Benaulim and Colva seats, the block committee members and the leaders of the party organisation put their foot down.
