MARGAO: The South Goa District Congress Committee while felicitating six senior party workers urged party members to remain united to win both the Lok Sabha elections and even gain a majority in the Assembly if the elections are held simultaneously at a function held to observe the 134th Foundation Day of the party.
The six senior members felicitated were Prakash Surya Parkar from Ponda who used to attend the Congress programmes in Goa when Jawaharlal Nehru or Indira Gandhi used to come to this place, Somnath Mapari from Sanvordem who has been working for the party since 1980, Vittu Gaude from Bethoda in Shiroda constituency who was victimized when the Congress lost the Shiroda constituency twice.
Leo Coutinho from Cuncolim who is known in the town as Congressman and who worked for Francisco Sardinha when he was elected as MLA for Veroda which was part of the Curtorim constituency then was also felicitated along with Erish Fernandes from Benaulim who has always remained with the Congress and Gromiko Fernandes from Curtorim whose association with the Congress is since 1985 when he was the vice president of the Youth Congress.
They were all presented with a shawl, coconut, a bouquet and a memento for their dedicated services. Former chief minister and sitting MLA Digambar Kamat appreciated their work and said it was because of such workers that the Congress could win the Lok Sabha seat in South Goa even in assembly constituencies where they had no MLA.
“It is not because of our lead in Salcete, but because of the struggle that such members go through to ensure that the lead of our opponents are reduced in other areas that we manage to win,” he said giving a call to all party leaders to activate and galvanise such workers.
He said that the Congress victory in the three Hindi heartland states is an indication of people’s angst against the divisive BJP governance. The party workers have to capitalize on the anger amongst the people against the present government, he said.
Leader of Opposition Babu Kavlekar said that the party workers have to remain united and work as a team to make sure that the Congress candidates win from both the constituencies in Goa as used to happen in the past.
Pointing out that the Congress party gave Goa Konkani as the official language, statehood and also got Konkani included in the Eighth Schedule, former chief minister and MP Francisco Sardinha said people have to be reminded about what the party did and also how many party leaders have sacrificed their lives for the sake of the country.
Reminding that it was the Congress that brought in 33 per cent reservation for women in elections, former chief minister and sitting MLA Ravi Naik said this could not be extended to the legislature and Parliament due to lack of commitment in the present dispensation.
Taking a dig at the South Goa District Committee for not felicitating any female party worker, he said women have to be an integral part of any programme. “India will truly progress when we attain 100 per cent literacy,” he said.
Ravi urged party workers to be prepared not only for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections, but also for the by-elections and even the Assembly elections if they are held along with the Lok Sabha elections.
