PANJIM: There is no possibility of replacing All India Congress Committee (AICC) Goa desk in-charge Dinesh Rao, who is to visit Goa next week, claimed Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Girish Chodankar.
Last week, Rao had to cut short his three-day Goa visit due to personal reasons.
Chodankar said that Rao will now visit Goa next week, a few days before the visit of senior party leader and former Union Minister P Chidambaram, who has been appointed as party’s senior election observer to Goa.
Chodankar added that the Rao’s visit to six Assembly Constituencies in South Goa district will now be rescheduled as he could not visit them during his last visit. He said that there was no question of replacing Dinesh Rao as nobody had removed him. Rao cut short his visit due to personal reasons, he added.
Reacting to some reports that Dinesh Rao has been retained as AICC Goa desk incharge, Chodankar asked, “Where is the question of Rao being retained where he was not removed from the post. Rao is continuing in the same position since the day he was appointed.”
During his last visit, Rao was scheduled to visit Sanguem, Curchorem, Quepem, Canacona, Velim and Cuncolim constituencies. In all these constituencies there are many aspirants including loyal Congressman and new entrants jostling the party tickets and the party leaders appears to be facing an arduous task ahead of 2022 Assembly elections.
The party leaders had to face the wrath of workers from Velim constituency, who attempted to oppose the entry of former independent MLA Benjamin Silva. Though workers have been assured that the party will not readmit and renominate defectors, more than two-three aspirants may give problem s to the Congress at the finalising candidates.
The Congress which had emerged as single largest party with 17 seats in 2017 polls is optimistic of coming back to power even as there are speculations whether it will go alone or forge pre-poll alliances with the like-minded parties.
