TEAM HERALD
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MARGAO: Congress Party’s ongoing block level meetings to rejuvenate the party at the grass roots ran into trouble in Benaulim on Saturday, exposing deep dissensions amongst various factions within the party-fold.
While the Benaulim block headed by Edwin Barretto held the meeting at Orlim without inviting Valanka Alemao, Valanka in turn hit back, saying the meeting had no meaning with the GPCC Chief Subhash Shirodkar already postponing the meeting around two weeks ago. The Alemao’s are believed to have immediately complained to the GPCC chief on today’s meeting and has resolved to hold another meeting in Benaulim after May 16.
Benaulim Block Congress president Edwin Barretto told Herald after the meeting that around 15 Congress Party workers attended the same held at Orlim this evening. “The meeting has decided to rejuvenate the party in Benaulim by constituting booth level committees and to reach out to the people by roping in the youth”, he said.
Replying to a question, Barretto said it was the decision to the block not to invite Valanka for the meeting. Sources in the know said that Barretto had an axe to grind against the Alemao as he has not forgotten the humiliation he was subjected to when he was not invited on the dais by the party leaders during the congress rally in Benaulim on the eve of the elections.
Valanka, however, appeared dismayed over the development. “I did not even know that the Benaulim block meeting took place today.
“The meeting was initially fixed on April 28, but GPCC Chief Subhash Shirodkar agreed to re-schedule the same after May 16. Today’s meeting has no party sanction. A grand meeting of the Benaulim congress will be held in the constituency after May 16”, she asserted, while taking pot shot at the Benaulim Block President for alleged anti-party activities during the elections.
Incidentally, while the Alemao’s maintained that no meeting has taken place, district Congress president Subhash Faldessai confirmed that the block meeting has indeed taken place in Orlim today and was attended by the observed deputed by him.
Interestingly, the GPCC chief, who is holed up in Karnataka, tried to play down the dissensions in the Benaulim Congress block. “I have no idea whether the Benaulim block had its meeting or not. Even if the block had its meeting today, another meeting of the Benaulim Congress and the block will be held in the constituency after May 16”, he said, adding he would take stock of the situation after his return from Karnataka.
