Patkar says fight for Goa will continue after exit as GPCC chief

NT Reporter

Margao

Outgoing Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Amit Patkar said his fight for Goa would continue, a day after he was removed from the post and replaced by Girish Chodankar.

Thanking the party high command for entrusting him with the responsibility, Patkar said the change would now allow him more time to focus on his constituency of Curchorem. At the same time, he stressed that the Congress must continue to listen to its cadre and block-level workers.

Patkar was speaking on the sidelines of an event
in Varca.

“I am grateful and thankful especially to Sonia Gandhi for putting her faith in me at a time when, after the 2022 elections, Congress had 11 MLAs and the morale was down. Within six months there was defection of MLAs who went for their greed. In the last four years and two months, we have strengthened the party at the grassroots level,” he said.

Patkar became visibly emotional while speaking during the programme held after the unveiling of a statue of Jack Sequeira.

“My last block committee meeting was held in Benaulim yesterday and I didn’t know. We were in the meeting and strategising, and I didn’t know that it would be my last meeting. When I was president I had promised that I would come,” he said.

He said he would speak to the party leadership about the development, while also underlining the need to encourage young leaders and stay connected with workers at the grassroots.

“I have no regrets and I believe that in the time I had, we built a strong Congress and I am proud that at every level we have nurtured young leaders, like here in Benaulim. We have promoted and stood with the cadre, which has to be the mantra to stop defection. We have to take our cadre into confidence,” he said.