PANJIM: The media on Thursday grilled senior TMC functionaries over purportedly fielding the party’s national vice president and MP Luizinho Faleiro from Fatorda constituency without his consent. However, AITC general Secretary Abhishekh Bannerjee denied that there was any resentment over Faleiro’s nomination for the Assembly polls.

When it was brought to his notice that Faleiro has expressed his displeasure over his nomination from the Fatorda constituency without his consent, Banerjee said, “There is no resentment. I have never heard that someone is upset on getting a ticket. Our national vice president Luizinho Faleiro is a soldier and he is going to fight against the `betrayer-in-chief’ Vijai Sardesai.”

But as media continued with barrage of supplementary for fielding Faleiro from Fatorda and not from his traditional Navelim, Banerjee said that Faleiro is a senior member, and he was the first to come and take the party’s flag from TMC chairperson Mamata Banerjee.

Banerjee said that Faleiro is a soldier of the party and that he had told him that he will take any role in the party.

Earlier, AITMC Goa in-charge and MP Mahua Moitra said that Faleiro was present for the press conference when the names of 11 candidates were announced, and that the party’s decision is binding on him.

TMC leader Churchill Alemao said that the party conducted a study and decided to field Luizinho Faleiro from Fatorda.

Faleiro was not present as the conference. State TMC president Kiran Khandolkar, who was present said “He is busy campaigning in his constituency”. This was however not verified, as Faleiro himself remained incommunicado through the day and has not made any statement from his side on he is contenting the Fatorda seat

On being questioned about why former MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco quit the TMC, Banerjee said, ‘Those who want to fight for Goans can stay. Those who want to fight for their own vested interests can leave.’