Former Goa CM Luizinho resigns from Rajya Sabha

PANJIM: Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha member and former Goa Chief Minister Luizinho Faleiro on Tuesday tendered his resignation from the Upper House of Parliament. The senior leader will also resign from TMC. 

The development occurred a day after Mamata Banerjee-led party lost its national party status.

Faleiro a tall leader was sidelined as the TMC recklessly dumped credible candidates before the last Goa Legislative Assembly elections. 

The TMC and shopped for weak fly-by-night choices literally handing the elections over to the BJP on a platter. The election machinery was first handled by Prashant Kishore-led I-PAC which chose and discarded ticket hopefuls, dropping many credible grassroots choices, and then by Mamata Banerjee’s handpicked MP Derek O’Brien under whose tutelage the party was routed, drawing a blank. 

Following this, the party saw a massive exodus including its own president Kiran Khandolkar.

Faleiro’s attempts to suggest a revival plan by meeting Mamata Banerjee were stonewalled by the ‘national’ leadership controlling party affairs in Goa.

Faleiro, 71, submitted his resignation from the Rajya Sabha to its Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar. 

Speaking to O Heraldo soon after tendering his resignation, Faleiro said, “I have resigned as MP and will do from TMC. I will not be joining any party at the moment. This will enable me to work as a foot soldier again in Goa’s cause.”