PANJIM: Party discipline and imparting party’s constitutional ideology amongst workers, winning people’s trust, launch of people’s movement and unity are the focus areas of the newly-appointed Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Girish Chodankar who believes that ‘winning people and promoting grassroots party workers is more important than winning an election or becoming an MLA’.
Chodankar on Friday afternoon officially took over reins of the State Congrees unit from Shantaram Naik. Chodankar, who commenced his speech after accepting the blessings of his parents, said that the political syllabus has changed and today political parties have to align with people’s agenda. “Today people decide the agenda and we have to align with them. There should be no more party agenda. We need to focus on issue politics, people’s movement,” he said.
“Let us focus on winning people and not elections. If we manage to win people, if we manage to stand by people in their demands, we can win elections overnight. Let us work for the people 365 days and not just at time of election,” the new President urged party workers.
“Let us go forward with truth and with transparency to win people’s trust. If we manage to do that, the coalition government will collapse on its own,” he stated.
Emphasising the need to bring in discipline in the party, the AICC leader said there is need to impart education amongst party workers on the Congress Constitution and its ideology. “If you are not aware of party’s Constitution and ideology there is no point being in the party. We need to educate each and every worker to ensure that they work on those lines,” Chodankar said.
He said that it’s time the party focuses on its grassroots workers rather than on leaders, who are in the party just to become MLAs or for some position. “The grassroots workers are working selflessly for the party and now it’s time we recognise their hard work,” he said.
Chodankar urged the GPCC and the legislature wing to be united and work together to strengthen and uplift the party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. “But, elections should not be the only focus. Our focus should be people and their issues,” he told MLAs.
Stating that the party’s political symbol ‘hand’ is his only face, Chodankar urged party workers not to display his photos anywhere as there is every possibility that he will get attracted to that. “My face should be my party symbol,” he said.
Chodankar said that his core committee will comprise of young and new leaders along with some seniors. “My committee will comprise those who will be ready to come out on the streets and protest and be with the people,” he said.
