NT Reporter
Panaji
All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge for Goa, Manikrao Thakare, on Saturday claimed that there is no dissent in the party over change in the state president. “No one is angry with anyone. No one has resigned from party…officially,” said Thakare who along with senior Congress leaders held a meeting with the newly appointed Goa Congress president Girish Chodankar and other leaders at the Congress House in the city on Saturday.
Thakare said that during the meeting it was decided to reconstitute the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) along with other committees within 15 days.
The party’s roadmap will be declared during a programme on Goa Revolution Day – June 18, informed Thakare. Also present during the meeting were AICC co-in-charge for Goa Anjali Nimbalkar, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Yuri Alemao, working presidents Carlos Ferreira, Altone D’Costa, MK Shaikh. During the meeting, a number of state centric issues were also discussed.
It may be noted that after AICC replaced Amit Patkar with Chodankar as state party president, a number of party functionaries had expressed displeasure including South Goa MP Viriato Fernandes who claimed not being consulted by the party high command over the matter. Reacting to the media queries over the matter, Thakare said, “Fernandes is out of town with his family. I had spoken to him over the phone. However once he returns I will talk to him.”
“In a system, whatever decision is made as an organisation, it has to be accepted,” said Thakare adding that even they were also unaware.
On Patkar’s absence for the meeting, Thakare said that Patkar was not called for the meeting, however he had spoken with him on the phone. “He is currently focusing on the constituency work,” said Thakare. “There is constant change. But it should not affect the party. Our focus should be to strengthen the party,” said Thakare responding to a question over removal of Patkar. “I have talked to everyone. No one is angry with anyone. No one has resigned from the party officially,” he said.
On change in state president, Nimbalkar said that, “The high command has its own internal survey, it has its own analysis… it has its own sources in every state. When the high command comes to a decision, as a Congress worker, we stick with that decision”.
