MARGAO: Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Luizinho Faleiro agreed to the demand of nearly 200 party workers and supporters who thronged his residence on Saturday and pledged not to vote if he doesn’t contest. Congress office bearers Urfan Mulla, Pratima Coutinho, supporters from Navelim, Rumdamol Davorlim sarpanch and others met the former Chief Minister demanding that he contests the polls. While he initially attempted to refuse them, he later said he will accept the demands.
Addressing the people, Faleiro said, “I won’t go against your words and I entrust the responsibility of the election campaign to you. You decide and form committees to work on the ground as we have less time.”
Citing the reason for his decision not to contest Faleiro said, “I went by the wishes of my family not to contest. I never came with a personal agenda to Goa. It was the leadership of Sonia Gandhi who entrusted me the job. Moreover, the people have seen an acute lack of development in Navelim and I have promised that I owe them their right.”
Asked whether family commitment was the only reason for not contesting, he said, “I was requested many times to work and when Goa was going down and we lost miserably Sonia Gandhi told me to take up the responsibility. They (Congress leadership) told me to contest even after suggesting three to four names,” he said.
