Team Herald
MARGAO: Congress President Rahul Gandhi has once again made Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro, in charge of and Mizoram which goes to polls later this year in November and other North Eastern States ahead of Parliamentary Polls in 2019.
Speaking on his new responsibility, Luizinho said, “My responsibility is Navelim and my commitment is Congress.” Incidentally, Luizinho led the Congress in winning a majority of seats in the North Eastern States in 2014 even as the party slid across the country.
The move is seen as an acknowledgement of his organisational and tactical skills. Only this time he has the dual challenge – one of ensuring that his party retains the confidence of North East as well as his home turf Navelim does not miss him too much.
“Despite the inherent challenges in Goa, I have started a lot of development works in my constituency and shall continue to till I fulfil all the promises I made to the people in my manifesto. People of Navelim gave me their vote and Navelim will be my top priority,” asserts Faleiro quashing any apprehensions that he will now be totally focused nationally.
In an exclusive chat with Herald, the ex GPCC President attributes his comeback in national politics to his organisational skills that ensured Congress win all the states in North East and made a strong comeback to almost wrest power away from ruling BJP in Goa.
“I am a Congressman and strongly believe in its ideology of inclusivity. The reason why I would easily balance the expectations of Rahulji to bring in a Congress resurgence and comeback in North East and aspirations of Navelim constituency is organisation along with unity and discipline. These are the keys to success in politics. The degree of success is how well the party organisation is set up and functions. And I believe in the importance of taking everyone on board since any Organisation has to be built at the Grassroots and then go all the way up,” he adds.
It may be recalled that Faleiro was in charge of the 7 North Eastern States, where after having started from a nought, Congress won in most of these States. In Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Mizoram, it won the election twice. In Goa when he became the President of GPCC, he had inherited a party that was decimated had had virtually no grassroots presence in most of the constituencies.
Under his leadership, Block level and booth level committees were set up. “I am sure we will be able to bring these North East areas under Congress once again,” he promises with quiet confidence.
