Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Former Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP) leader Ajay Kholkar has said former party president Manoj Parab has responded positively to the organisation’s request to return and lead the party, raising expectations of a significant announcement around Diwali.
Speaking to reporters, Kholkar said senior party functionaries recently met to discuss internal restructuring, rebuilding organisational committees and preparing for the upcoming Goa Assembly elections. He said the discussions were positive and that the party’s organisational structure and election strategy would become clearer within the next two to three days.
Kholkar said the meeting was attended by General Secretary, former president Manoj Parab, vice presidents Anish Naik and Shabi Fernandes, the North Goa district president and founding member Rohan Kalangutkar. The discussions focused on strengthening the organisation after its committees were dissolved and preparing for the elections, which he said were approaching quickly.
Expressing his personal view on Parab’s possible return, Kholkar said the RGP founder’s vision had been central to the creation of the organisation and its evolution into a political party. He said Parab had been invited to return and lead the party, and had given a positive response.
Kholkar also addressed the ongoing dispute over the party’s leadership and its proposed alliance with Congress. He claimed that Viresh Borkar had been terminated from RGP and alleged that individuals who were no longer members, or had never been registered members, were holding alliance discussions in the party’s name.
He questioned why Congress leaders were entertaining alliance talks with people he claimed had no official authority to represent RGP. Kholkar said the party had submitted objections to the relevant authorities regarding communications and claims concerning its registered address, membership and leadership.
Maintaining that the official party records and registered office remained with his faction, Kholkar asserted that RGP would contest the 2027 Assembly elections under its football symbol. He said the party would continue to challenge any attempts by others to use its name or symbol without authorisation and warned that legal action would be taken if necessary.
Kholkar further claimed that the party remained organisationally united despite the dispute, describing the rival moves as the actions of a few individuals pursuing personal interests. He said the Election Commission would ultimately determine how any competing claims were handled.
On Parab’s possible return as president, Kholkar clarified that the final decision was not his alone. He said Parab had never been driven by a desire for positions and had initially built the organisation around his political vision rather than personal ambition.
With Diwali approaching, Kholkar said he hoped Parab would make a major announcement on an auspicious occasion, adding that the party’s leadership and future direction would soon become clear.
