PANJIM: The Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Luizinho Faleiro on Thursday warned that he would take action against dissidents for their anti-party activities during the campaign for the Panjim by-election, which could even lead to expulsion from the party.
“We have taken cognizance of party workers’ activities during the by-poll campaign. If anybody, however high he may be, even a legislator, is found to have indulged in anti-party works, he would be shown the door,” Faleiro said, when asked whether MLAs including Atanasio Monserrate were involved in the campaign of party candidate and city Mayor Surendra Furtado.
“All the senior and junior workers, including legislators and grassroots workers, who have worked for the party will be rewarded and those who worked against the party during the by-poll campaign would be shown the door. We are very serious on the issue,” Faleiro said.
Monserrate, whose panel is ruling in the Corporation of the City of Panaji and has Furtado as mayor, had openly said that he would not work for the Congress candidate.
He had told All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary Dr A Chellakumar about his plans to work against the Congress candidate to ensure his defeat. He had even said that he would support the BJP and had issued directions to all his councillors to work against Furtado.
The Congress had also been hit by dissensions during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
Congress in the past had initiated disciplinary action against its former ministers, including North Goa candidate Ravi Naik, Joaquim Alemao, former MP Francisco Sardinha and others for anti-party activities during those elections, but nothing had emerged from it.
