PANJIM: The presence of Calangute MLA Michael Lobo in the `Freedom March’ organised by the Congress party on Independence Day has raised eyebrows among party leaders and MLAs since the party had filed disqualification petitions against him.
Lobo, who had joined the Congress ahead of Assembly elections, became a foe of the party after he and Margao MLA Digambar Kamat were accused of engineering an unsuccessful split in the Congress Legislature Party (CLP). Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Amit Patkar has filed disqualification petitions against Lobo and Kamat for voluntarily giving up the party’s membership. However, Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar has admitted the petition and was yet to issue notices to both the respondents.
On Independence Day, Lobo joined `Freedom March’ and also laid a wreath at the Martyr’s Memorial at Azad Maidan. His presence surprised many party leaders and workers since the party had removed him as CLP leader and also filed a disqualification petition against him last month.
When contacted Patkar said that the `Freedom March’ organised by the Congress was open for all. “Michael Lobo came voluntarily. It was not a political party event. I had invited the whole of Goa to join the March because Congress was actively involved in the freedom of this country,” he added.
GPCC chief spokesperson Amarnath Panjikar too said that the party had given a call to all Goans to participate in the `Freedom March’.
