MARGAO
Bureaucrat-turned-Congress leader Elvis Gomes on Saturday virtually fired a salvo at the Congress leadership, saying the State Congress leadership is suspect in the eyes of the party rank and file and the people of Goa.
Elvis, who had lost out of the ticket race, has warned that the party workers are closely watching the decisions and movement of the three party leaders, saying these three leaders have turned out suspect for their sins of commission and omission.
Without going into the merits of the Congress decision to nominate Ramakant Khalap in North Goa and Captain Viriato Fernandes in South Goa, Elvis said the success of the party candidates depends a lot on the three party leaders, how they go about the election campaign. “These three leaders owe an explanation to the party rank and file and the people of Goa over the inordinate delay in the announcement of the party candidates for the two seats,” he said.
He has further demanded to know how come the party did not launch a concerted campaign in both the Lok Sabha constituencies before the declaration of the party candidates. “The party should have launched the poll campaign before the party could declare the candidates. This would have saved time and helped to make the party’s presence across the two constituencies. This is the reason why I say the leadership is suspect in the eyes of the party rank and file and the people,” he said.
Sounding a caution that the party is closely watching the movements of the party leaders, especially the three leaders who have become suspect, Elvis said some decision will be taken up by the party workers if things do not fall in place immediately.
Claiming that his candidature was sabotaged by these three leaders, Elvis claimed that these three leaders did not recommend his name for the South Goa ticket, but his name was already there in the file of Congress president M Kharge.
