MARGAO: Congress workers from Velim created a ruckus at the party’s district office in Margao on Friday evening and disrupted the programme organised to induct former Velim MLA Benjamin Silva into the party fold.
The protesting workers were agitated for not being taken into confidence by the Congress leadership before deciding to induct Silva, whom they accused of working against the party during the zilla panchayat elections held earlier this year.
Congress ZP member from Velim, Julio Fernandes and Seva Dal functionary Antonette Dias was among those who were the most vocal in targeting the party leadership for inducting D’Silva by “ignoring the sentiments of the local party workers”.
The protests have to be viewed against the backdrop of emergence of Velim sarpanch Savio D’Silva and Congress party’s South Goa district president Joe Dias as frontrunners for the party ticket from Velim constituency. GPCC president Girish Chodankar and leader of opposition Digambar Kamat were at the receiving end of the party workers’ fury.
Chodankar sought to placate frayed nerves stating that the party hadn’t promised a ticket to anybody even as he urged all anti-BJP forces to join Congress to defeat BJP in the 2022 elections.
“Benjamin wasn’t in Congress earlier, and so he may have worked against the party,” Chodankar said. “As per the party’s national policy anybody is welcome to join the party. The party needs to be strengthened to defeat BJP, as Congress is now the only option for all Goans,” he said.
As regards the issue of tickets, Chodankar said, “The party leadership will take extra care while giving tickets. Multiple surveys will be conducted to determine the credibility of the candidates. We want to restore discipline in the party. Indiscipline in any form will not be tolerated.”
Later speaking to reporters, Silva said that he joined Congress with a view to strengthening the party and refuted allegations that he didn’t work for Congress in the last ZP polls.
Silva, who had contested the 2012 assembly elections as an independent, had defeated Congress candidate Filipe Neri Rodrigues. “There was an anti-Congress wave then. I later extended support to BJP after consulting the people as we wanted development in our constituency. The development is there for all to see,” Silva said. In the 2017 assembly elections, however, Silva, contesting as a BJP-backed independent candidate, lost to Congress candidate Rodrigues.
“There’s lot of development work left to be done in Velim. Now that I have joined Congress, I will now demand the party ticket for the 2022 assembly elections,” he said.
