the goan I network
MARGAO
With Rahul Gandhi officially quitting the party as the Congress president, the fate of Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) Chief Girish Chodankar hangs in balance, with sources saying the party High command will take a call on Chodankar’s resignation only after Rahul Gandhi’s successor takes charge of office.
It’s now a week since Chodankar had put in his papers to the Congress president on moral grounds, saying the performance of the party in the Lok Sabha and by-polls was the collective responsibility of everyone.
While the GPCC Chief has left it for the party leadership in Delhi to decide on his resignation letter, local Congress leaders keep their fingers crossed on Chodankar’s resignation. Questions are being raised in Congress circles whether Chodankar, who was perceived as being a Rahul Gandhi loyalist, will find favour with the new Congress President. Close aides of the GPCC chief in private say that it’s only around a year since Chodankar had taken over the reigns of office and put in his
efforts to revitalize the party. That’s not all. Chodankar’s loyalists in the Congress say that the party did not suffer a total rout in Goa unlike other states, further saying that the Congress vote share had indeed gone up in the just concluded elections.
The GPCC Chief, however, has been maintaining silence ever since he had sent in his resignation to the Party President, saying he is waiting for party leadership to take a call. “I have put in my papers. Let the party leadership take a call on my resignation,” Chodankar said. When his attention was drawn to the fact that it’s now a week since the Goa unit of the Congress party was literally functioning without a captain, he shot back saying that the party orgnaisation is in place and takes care of the normal functioning.
The Congress camp opposed to Chodankar, however, pointed out there’s no dearth of leaders in Goa to take over the mantle of GPCC from the incumbent president. “The Congress party in Goa has both veterans as well as young leaders, who are quite capable to take over the GPCC affairs and lead the party to build the party and brace up for the 2022 Assembly election,” remarked a senior Congress leader, who is part of the organization.
While the names of party veterans, including former Chief Ministers Digambar Kamat, Ravi Naik, besides South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha, just to name a few, have been doing the rounds in party circles as probable candidates for the top job, three-time Curtorim Congress MLA Reginaldo Lourenco is believed to have told his colleagues that he is not interested in taking over the party reigns.
Reginaldo, sources say, has told his close aides that he is not interested in taking over the reigns of office, pointing out that the party did not consider his candidature when he was open to lead the party and take it to greater heights.
