Says he resigned to consolidate Cong, which has fragmented into TMC, YSRCP, NCP
Panaji/Margao: Former chief minister and senior Congress leader Luizinho Faleiro on Monday resigned as member of the Goa legislative assembly and primary member of the Indian National Congress (INC).
The Navelim MLA submitted his resignation to Speaker of the state legislative assembly Rajesh Patnekar on Monday afternoon. Faleiro is likely to join the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) soon.
Addressing media in a city hotel in the evening, Faleiro said he has resigned from the Congress party in order to fight the divisive forces that are threatening Goa and the country.
Stating that Goa needs a credible alternative, he said he will definitely support Mamata Congress because she has fought and succeeded against the present dispensation in New Delhi.
“I have started a movement to bring a new dawn for Goa. I have resigned from the Congress in order to fight the divisive forces that are threatening our state and the country. I am committed to preserve the ideals of the INC and will always be a member of the larger Congress family,” he said.
The former chief minister said today Goa is suffering from maladministration and the state is bleeding because of wrong policies and programmes of the present government. “Goa is a jewel in the crown of India. People like us should not allow further destruction of our tiny state. I have resigned as MLA for unification of Congress. Our enemy is BJP. So, we need a unified force to defeat the divisive ruling dispensation in Goa and in the country and bring a new dawn in Goa,” he said.
Praising Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee, the former Congress leader said she is a symbol of women empowerment. “She has shown the way to keep away divisive forces from power.”
“Congress family is divided. There is Mamata Congress, YSR Congress, Sharad Pawar Congress. We need to bring them together to fight against the present dispensation in Delhi and Goa,” Faleiro said. He further said, “I am not sure whether I will contest the upcoming assembly elections or not, but I will support Mamta-led Trinamool Congress.”
Faleiro highlighted that in the evening when results of the 2017 state assembly elections were announced, he had insisted on submitting a letter to the Governor, in accordance with the AICC legal department’s advisory to stake claim to form a Congress-led government in Goa. He said that he was, however, prevented from going to the Governor by the AICC desk in-charge and asked to wait till they had 24 MLAs, a decision that eventually cost the INC and allowed the BJP to steal the mandate.
“I felt dejected, shocked and utterly betrayed to let down the people of Goa, who had entrusted the INC with their mandate,” he said.
The former Navelim MLA said that he was duly elected as leader of the Congress legislative party with 13 MLAs out of 17 in his favour. However, he said, he refrained from taking up the position, as the INC had failed its people. He said later, general secretary and other senior leaders tried to have him removed as Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president claiming that they would be able to form a government in 24 hours. However, he said, that it did not happen even after he stepped down from the GPCC chief’s post.
Earlier, addressing his supporters before submitting his resignation as legislator to the Speaker of the state legislative assembly, Faleiro thanked his supporters for standing by him.
“You are my inspiration and have given me blessings. I am proud that my people stood by me all these 40 years of my political career,” he said addressing his Navelim constituents and close supporters, who had rushed at his residence at Borda in Margao, a day after he had interacted with them over telephone and conveyed his decision of quitting Congress and joining Trinamool Congress party.
Stating that he has a bigger dream for Goa and Goans, Faleiro said it would be achieved by uniting all the four Congress parties – Trinamool Congress (TMC), Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress (YSR Congress), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Indian National Congress – to fight the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Responding to one of his supporters’ queries, Faleiro said he will take his supporters into confidence before taking any decision on contesting the forthcoming polls from Navelim on TMC ticket.
“I have interacted with 700-odd supporters within a day and informed them about my decision of quitting Congress and joining TMC and they have welcomed it. I am proud of my people for they have always stood by me. They are my inspiration and these are emotional moments. I had a ‘chintan’ and ‘tapasya’ for the last 20 days and met several leaders before arriving at this decision,” he said speaking to the media after addressing his supporters.
He said TMC chief Mamta Banerjee’s formula has won in West Bengal. “She is the street fighter. She brought Modi-Amit Shah strategies to a naught in West Bengal. Goa is also going through difficult times and we need such fighters to take on BJP,” he said.
Faleiro further said, “Life for me has always been about struggle and activism. I believe that politics is a road to serve people and fulfil their demands. It is not a road to serve self. Those who are scared will never win, but those who dare will.”
Cong summons Agnelo to Delhi
Panaji: The Congress high command has summoned former Calangute MLA Agnelo Fernandes to the national capital on Tuesday.
Speaking to this daily, Fernandes confirmed that he has been summoned by the All India Congress Committee to New Delhi.
“I don’t know the exact reason why they have called me. I will be meeting senior party leaders and may also meet Rahul Gandhi,” Fernandes said. He said he will brief the AICC about the prevailing political situation in Goa.
It is pertinent to note that rumours are floating around that Fernandes, who is Luizinho Faleiro’s close aide, has been approached by TMC’s poll strategist I-PAC and he may also join the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led party.
During a press conference held recently, Fernandes said that he will remain with the grand old party and also added that his name is being linked to TMC, as Faleiro is his political mentor. NT
Luizinho: Goa Cong working against party’s principles
Panaji: In his resignation letter addressed to All India Congress Committee president Sonia Gandhi, Luizinho Faleiro has alleged that the state unit of the party is working against the principles of the grand old party and also stated that Congress has failed to play the role of an effective Opposition.
“Madam, the Congress in Goa is not the same party for which we had sacrificed and fought. It is functioning contrary to every ideal and principle of its founding fathers upheld by Smt Indiraji, Shri Rajivji and you. Shri Rahul Gandhiji too has been uncompromising in his fight against the forces that seek to destroy the fabric of our nation. However, the Goa unit of the party has become a cruel parody of what the Congress stands for,” Faleiro said in his resignation letter addressed to the AICC president.
“Led by a coterie of leaders who prioritise personal gains over the responsibility we owe to our people, we have utterly failed to even be an effective Opposition,” he added.
Faleiro pointed out that none of the leaders has been held accountable for the loss of 13 Congress MLAs who switched to BJP after the 2017 assembly elections. He alleged that loyal party workers are being sidelined by the local leadership.
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