PANJIM: Attempting to quell an open rebellion within the State unit, AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal held crucial one-to-one meetings with resentful Goa Congress leaders on Saturday. Warning that internal infighting would only benefit the BJP, he urged disgruntled members to bury their personal differences and unite to ensure party’s victory in the upcoming Assembly polls.
Venugopal experienced the organisational crisis confronting the party ahead of the elections as the meeting underscored the growing factionalism, leadership crisis and simmering resentment triggered by the appointment of Girish Chodankar as the GPCC president.
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Congress MLAs, senior leaders, Political Affairs Committee members, office-bearers and block presidents were present in an attempt to contain the dissent. Party sources told O Heraldo that many leaders openly questioned Chodankar’s appointment and expressed dissatisfaction with the party’s functioning. Some even conveyed their reluctance to work under his leadership, highlighting the widening trust deficit within the organisation.
After meeting prominent leaders one-to-one, Venugopal addressed a joint meeting of office-bearers and presidents of block committees and frontal organisations. His message was that continued infighting would only strengthen the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and that organisational unity was essential if the Congress hoped to provide a credible alternative and come back to power. Congress does not belong to Chodankar and others but to grassroot workers, he said.
During a media briefing, Venugopal defended Chodankar’s appointment, dismissing allegations against him as baseless. Describing Chodankar as a committed Congress worker with a clean public image and no corruption charges, he maintained that the high command chose him after careful consideration and would stand by its decision. He said that like the British used ‘divide and rule,’ the BJP is adopting ‘break the parties and rule’.
All eyes were on former party president Amit Patkar, who met Venugopal and reportedly complained about his sudden removal. He reportedly told Venugopal how he built the organisation in every constituency and sought to know the fate of those members. He reportedly told him that resentment was tremendous on the ground and the party would have to quell it by rethinking the decision to change the guard.
Later, Patkar dismissed speculation about forming a new political outfit in the State but stopped short of ruling it out. Patkar said he is committed to the party, adding that only time would tell whether rumours of a new political formation had any substance.
A group of party leaders mostly suspended including former general secretary Manisha Usgaonkar tried in vain to meet Venugopal at the venue. Disappointed Usgaonkar alleged that their expulsion was illegal and motivated by internal politics rather than disciplinary action. Claiming they had spent more than four years leading protests against the BJP and keeping the party active at the grassroots, Usgaonkar questioned why those who had worked for the organisation were being sidelined. She alleged that the expulsions were carried out without any written orders and claimed they were denied an opportunity to present their case before Venugopal.
Former South Goa District president Savio Silva too complained about his sudden removal. He said that he was suddenly removed when he was building the party organisation. “I told him about how to rebuild the party and not leaders. He (Venugopal) is aware of it,” he said.
Venugopal’s visit may have temporarily eased tensions but much needs to be done to reconcile rival factions, rebuild confidence among grassroots workers and end perceptions of arbitrary decision-making before the electoral battle against the BJP begins.
