Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Former minister and ex-MLA Francisco Xavier “Micky” Pacheco has launches a scathing attack on the Congress leadership, alleging that party tickets for Assembly elections were distributed on the basis of financial considerations rather than merit and grassroots support.
In a statement issued on Monday, Pacheco claimed that the Congress had allowed a “cash-for-tickets” culture to flourish, where prospective candidates were allegedly expected to pay huge sums to secure nominations. He alleged that the practice had weakened the party’s organisational structure and contributed significantly to its electoral decline in Goa.
According to Pacheco, those seeking party tickets were allegedly asked to arrange funds running into crores of rupees. He further claimed that only a fraction of the amount was subsequently returned to candidates through intermediaries and projected as official election assistance from the party, while the remaining funds allegedly stayed with senior functionaries.
The former MLA said the alleged system sidelined committed party workers and genuine grassroots leaders, as constituencies were purportedly allotted to individuals with greater financial resources. He argued that this had eroded the confidence of party cadres and distanced the Congress from ordinary voters.
Pacheco also questioned the decision to reappoint Girish Chodankar as president of the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC), describing the move as detrimental to the party’s prospects. He alleged that the Congress suffered organisational setbacks and electoral losses during Chodankar’s previous tenure, including the departure of several legislators from the party.
Taking aim at the Congress high command, Pacheco expressed surprise that Chodankar continued to enjoy the confidence of the central leadership despite what he described as repeated complaints and disappointing electoral performances. He further alleged that similar concerns had surfaced in states where Chodankar had served as an observer for the All India Congress Committee.
The remarks come at a time when the Goa Congress is witnessing internal discontent over recent organisational appointments. Political observers believe the allegations could further intensify tensions within the opposition party and trigger demands for clarification from the leadership.
No official response from the Congress or Girish Chodankar was available at the time of publication.
