TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Saying that the Congress will not shy away from apologising to the people for any past mistakes, newly-appointed Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) President John Fernandes has said though the Congress party will not destabilise the BJP-led government, the party was ready to face assembly polls if the situation warrants.
He also urged party workers to gear up for the Lok Sabha polls, saying the High Command is thinking of contesting both the seats in the coming polls.
“We have no plans to destabilise the government since we have no mandate from the people to rule the State. But, if these people cannot run the government, the Congress is ready to face the electorate. Let us go back to the people and apologise for our mistakes,” John said, while addressing party workers at the South Goa Congress office on the occasion of Congress Foundation Day.
Unveiling the road map for the revival of the party fortunes in the State, the former Rajya Sabha MP said the party has no option than to go to the people. “Only one general secretary will sit in the office, while the PCC meetings are now planned at Margao, Mapusa and even at Canacona. We have to take the party to the people”, he said, while disclosing plans to take out padyatras in all the 40 constituencies.
He slammed the BJP for fooling Goans by painting Congressmen black, while making a fervent plea to the party workers to work as one united Congress family, expressing confidence that people will not go against the Congress.
AICC General Secretary Luizinho Faleiro said the Congress cannot allow people, who killed Mahatma Gandhi, to rule the country, adding that only the Congress can keep the country together.
He said the time has come to consolidate and strengthen the party, adding that unity, work and performance alone would keep the party in good stead.
Rajya Sabha MP Shantaram Naik reminded the workers that the Congress is a big force in the country and raised questions whether the BJP can keep the country together. Former chief minister Digambar Kamat said party workers should take a pledge that all would unitedly work for the victory of the party candidates.
South Goa District President Subhash Faldessai, Party leader M K Sheik and others also spoke. Incidentally, of the four party MLAs from South Goa, only Digambar Kamat was conspicuous by his presence, while Mauvin Godinho, Babu Kavlekar and Reginaldo Lourenco were found absent.
On the occasion, the party honoured four senior Congressmen from South Goa Samson D’Costa, Raghuvir G Desai, Flaviano Cardozo, Noor Mohammed and Crispino Fernandes for their dedication and sincerity towards the party.
We have no plans to destabilise the government, but, if these people cannot run the government, the Congress is ready to face the electorate, said John Fernandes
