Goemkarponn Desk
DABOLIM: Former Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) President Girish Chodankar has been assigned the responsibility of overseeing the Punjab elections for the Congress party. Speaking to reporters at Dabolim Airport before departing for Punjab on Tuesday, Chodankar criticized former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, calling his appointment as CM “the biggest mistake of the Congress party.”
“Kamat was responsible for the downfall of the Congress in Goa,” Chodankar asserted. “He joined the Congress in 2005, became CM in 2007, and since then, the party faced unprecedented allegations of corruption under his leadership. He admitted to being in touch with BJP leaders while serving as Congress CM, which reveals his traitorous character.”
Chodankar highlighted that Kamat’s tenure severely weakened the party. “He undermined the GPCC leadership, first with Subhash Shirodkar and then during my term as GPCC President. Despite having 23 MLAs, we dwindled to 9, largely due to Kamat’s actions,” he said. “In 2017, we had 17 MLAs but failed to form the government because of Kamat’s greed for the CM position. Even as CLP leader, he made decisions detrimental to the party, resulting in significant losses.”
Chodankar said that it was very unfortunate that the central Congress leadership supported Kamat by mistake without realising his true colours , which he believes contributed to the party’s decline in Goa. “It was a grave mistake to make Kamat the CM. Ravi Naik, a senior leader representing the Bahujan Samaj, would have been a better choice and strengthened the party in Goa.”
Reflecting on the future, Chodankar expressed optimism about the Congress’s prospects in Punjab. “The electoral landscape in Punjab is different; it’s Congress vs AAP, unlike the usual Congress vs BJP scenario. We are confident of securing maximum seats and strengthening the INDIA alliance,” he stated.
Chodankar also projected confidence in Congress’s performance in Goa. “We will win both the North Goa and South Goa seats with a good margin. Nationally, people are frustrated with the Narendra Modi government, and surveys indicate that the Congress-led INDIA alliance will form the next government. I doubt BJP will even reach the 150 mark,” he predicted.
With renewed focus and strategy, Chodankar is set to lead the Congress’s campaign in Punjab, aiming to capitalize on the current political dynamics and voter sentiment.
