VALPOI
Members of the Congress party got into a heated verbal duel on Saturday evening at a meeting called by the party president, Girish Chodankar in Valpoi, to invigorate the national party in the State. The members, especially those aspiring for party ticket to the forthcoming Assembly elections, directed their ire at each other for remaining inactive despite the bugle for polls having been already sounded.
The crucial meeting was called by Chodankar at Manerkar Hall with an aim to strengthen the Congress party in Valpoi constituency. The meeting was attended by the office bearers of different committees and its key workers.
As soon as the meeting commenced, chaotic scenes dominated the gathering at the hall. Some of the Congress workers present at the meeting accused the block committee office bearers of inaction. Ranjit Rane alleged that Dashrath Mandrekar, the block president, did not involve them in various activities of the party. At this juncture, many other workers too got involved accusing each other.
The Congress state president had a harrowing time trying to pacify the members and bring about an understanding between them. Chodankar tried to make the members understand the gravity of the situation and that they should avoid creating a rift, especially when the polls are round the corner. He expressed displeasure over the lack of organizational work of the party in the constituency. He advised all the members present at the meeting to work together to strengthen the party before the coming elections and resolve their differences at the earliest.
According to sources, the members sparred mainly over gaining ticket for the forthcoming State polls. To this, Chodankar said candidates would be chosen from local level, but for this it was necessary to work actively for the expansion of the party.
Those who want to contest should work honestly for the party. Candidates will be selected based on the opinion of the workers, he is learnt to have told the fiery members while advising them to put to rest their differences and work unitedly, actively for the party.
Meanwhile, some workers speaking on condition of anonymity said that some members had attended the meeting with the intention of securing a ticket to the polls. Many who were never workers of the Congress participated in the meeting pretending to be Congress workers. This raised many eyebrows among many genuine Congressmen at the meeting, they said.
The state president of Congress said the party would work for the betterment of the workers and will contest the forthcoming assembly elections with confidence and with the intent to win.
