AERIAL VIEW
So overall, it seems a reasonable and sensible decision from the Gandhis, considering the Congress in Goa was heading nowhere and the honest workers of the party, who gave their sweat and blood to the party, had become frustrated with the decline of the party in Goa.
Sidelining Kamat was the need of the hour. He had become more of a liability for Congress and was seen as BJP’s mole in the party.
Despite being the unannounced party’s CM candidate and Leader of Opposition, Kamat did very little or nothing for the party’s success in the recently held polls. He was seen pinned to his own constituency even as the party candidates in his neighbouring constituencies were looking at him for help.
SURAJ NANDREKAR
Editor, Goemkarponn
After delaying the decision for over 20 days, the All India Congress Committee finally made some sensible decision, which could be termed a near-overhaul of the GPCC.
AICC chief Sonia Gandhi handed over the reins of its Goa unit to some of its young and fresh faces.
Thirty-eight-year-old Amit Patkar was appointed the GPCC President and an MLA from Cuncolim in South Goa Yuri Alemao (37), a commercial pilot by training, was made the working president of the Goa Congress, handing over the baton to the younger generation in the state.
The decision came after former Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) President Girish Chodankar had resigned, taking responsibility for the Congress’s election defeat.
Micheal Lobo, who quit the BJP in January to join the Congress, was made the legislature party leader. Lobo, a political heavyweight and the MLA from Calangute in North Goa, was a minister in the previous BJP government led by Pramod Sawant.
The Congress politely indicated to Chief Minister and senior Congress legislator Digambar Kamat that it was time to retire by appointing him as a permanent invitee of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party’s top body.
Mormugao MLA Sankalp Amonkar was appointed the deputy leader of the CLP, while former Goa Advocate General and first time MLA from Aldona Carlos Ferreira was appointed the chief whip. Savio D’Silva and Viren Shirodkar were elected district presidents of GPCC.
So overall, it seems a reasonable and sensible decision from the Gandhis, considering the Congress in Goa was heading nowhere and the honest workers of the party, who gave their sweat and blood to the party, had become frustrated with the decline of the party in Goa.
Sidelining Kamat was the need of the hour. He had become more of a liability for Congress and was seen as BJP’s mole in the party.
Despite being the unannounced party’s CM candidate and Leader of Opposition, Kamat did very little or nothing for the party’s success in the recently held polls. He was seen pinned to his own constituency even as the party candidates in his neighbouring constituencies were looking at him for help.
On the other hand, Lobo, who has now been appointed the CLP leader, has given a fresh lease of life to Congress in Goa after shifting loyalty to Congress from the BJP.
In this election, he won handsomely against BJP candidate Joseph Sequeira and saw that his three candidates in Bardez won. He worked tirelessly in Saligao, Mapusa, Aldona, Siolim, which must have impressed the AICC leaders.
On the other hand, Patkar, an engineer, had contested the assembly election from the Curchorem seat that was won by the BJP’s Nilesh Cabral by a narrow margin of 600 votes. Patkar has been rewarded for his dedication and commitment to the party, which was on display during the elections.
The party has also rewarded first-time MLA Sankalp Amonkar, who has been a loyal soldier of the party for over a decade now.
Hopely the trio of Patkar, Lobo and Amonkar will take the Congress to new heights with their elevation. Their first test would be the 2024 Parliamentary elections, and if they succeed to win both seats for the party, it would be a great achievement.