Cong still grappling over GPCC chief

PANJIM: A day after AICC General Secretary Digvijay Singh left Goa following hectic meetings with State party members, the Congress ‘house’ continued to remain divided over selection of a leader for the top GPCC post. 

Meetings continued till late night. The possibility of retaining Subhash Shirodkar as the GPCC president is also doing the rounds, while the new faces want a total change in the party leadership if a revamp is to take place in letter and spirit. The young leaders have blamed the older leadership for the drubbing at the 2012 polls.

The AICC Secretary Chella Kumar stayed in Goa to continue talks with party members to feel the pulse after Digvijay Singh left the State to attend to other assignments.

Chella continued to face the barrage of complaints of party workers all through the day against senior party colleagues alleging ill-treatment and discontent.

Even voices in the Mahila Congress, Youth Congress and other wings of the Congress party in Goa echoed against the ‘despotic attitude’ of certain senior leaders. 

That they had been taken for granted and continue to be sidelined were also some of the issues raised before Chella. 

Thursdays’ discussions were held for selecting a Mahila Congress chief. 

Names that had come up include that of Dr Pramod Salgaokar and Monica Dias while others in the race could be Taleigao MLA Jennifer Monserrate and Pratima Coutinho. However, there has been opposition from certain leaders to these as they have alleged that some have allegedly worked against party interests in the previous   elections.