Team Herald
PANJIM: Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) on Friday dissolved their block committees for Shiroda and Mandrem assembly constituencies, following the resignation of MLAs- Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanand Sopte, who were representing the constituencies
Shirodkar, representing Shiroda assembly constituency and Sopte, elected from Mandrem assembly seat in 2017 assembly elections, had resigned as Members of State Legislative Assembly and from Congress party on October 16 afternoon and had later joined the ruling BJP.
GPCC spokesperson Amarnath Panjikar said that PCC has dissolved Shiroda and Mandrem block congress committees with immediate effect. “Both blocks will be reconstituted after consulting party office bearers from both the constituencies,” Panjikar said.
The meeting of Mandrem office bearers is scheduled on Saturday afternoon; wherein the future course of action for the constituency will be announced. The Congress workers both in Mandrem and Shiroda have expressed their anguish against Shirodkar and Sopte by burning their effigies.
GPCC President Girish Chodankar said the party would contest both the seats during the by-polls and ensure that the party’s majority in the House is retained. “People of Shiroda and Mandrem will teach a lesson to both the leaders for betraying and insulting them,” he said.
Chodankar said that the decision with regards to formation of new block committee and thereafter candidates will be done in consultation with the workers. Shirodkar who resigned from the Congress is a five time MLA of the party from Shiroda constituency and has been cabinet minister from 1985 till the year 2000. He had defeated sitting BJP Industries Minister Mahadev Naik.
On the other hand, Sopte had emerged as a giant killer when he defeated BJP then Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar.
