Goa Congress leaders upset with Kamat & Chodankar

New Delhi : Goa Congress leaders are upset with state president Girish Chodankar and former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat who is also the Congress legislative party leader, sources have said. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi is visiting the state on Saturday.

Some Congress party leaders are feeling sidelined in the present dispensation and have addressed their grievances to the party leadership. One of the leaders who is former Chief Minister, said in anonymity that Kamat is guiding the state president and the rest of the leaders are mere spectators.

A Congress leader said that party should consult senior leaders, but the consultation process has stopped in the state.

One of the leaders who has joined the party recently said that Christians in the state are not being given their due in the party though the community has supported it. He said, the party pattern earlier was that one of the top post goes to the community, but the party hasn’t done this.

However, the Congress has appointed two working presidents from the Christian community.

In Goa the party witnessed exodus and recently former Chief Minister Luizinho Falerio quit the Congress and joined Trinamool.

The Congress is going into Goa elections with Girish Chodankar as State President and Digambar Kamat, the former Chief Minister as legislative party leader. The Congress leaders in private admit that Trinamool leaders are sending feelers to those who are upset within the party.

Falerio after quitting said, “I am a Congressman of 40 years. And I will continue to be a Congressman of the Congress family. This family has to come together if we have to fight Modi. Among all the four Congresses, it is the Mamata who has given a tough fight to Narendra Modi and his juggernaut.”

Sonia Gandhi had on August 30 announced several state committees, since then tension is brewing in the state. Campaign committee is to be headed by Reginaldo Lourenco and Sangeeta Parab is its co chairperson.

Former chief minister Fracisco Sardinha was made chairman of the Finance committee and Pramod Salgaocar as co chairperson, while Ramakant Khalap has been made Manifesto committee head and Publicity committee is to be headed by Chandrakant Chodankar.