NCP spokesperson slams president

PANJIM, DEC 30
The recent political turmoil within the State Nationalist Congress Party has angered its Chief Spokesperson Trajano D’Mello who slammed President Surendra Sirsat for failing to call a single Executive Committee meeting ever since he took over the post.
Sources said D’Mello in a letter has demanded with Sirsat to call for an emergency meeting to ascertain the views of the EC members on the whole political issue to retrieve the sagging image of the party.
The letter, which has been also signed by Chairman of the Minority Cell Salim Sayyed, has been forwarded to party supremo Sharad Pawar, Goa Desk In-charge Praful Patel and Goa Observer Prakash Bhinsale, they informed.
The chief spokesperson lashing out at Sirsat mentioned the EC members were kept in the dark over the political developments within the NCP. He wrote that this was a matter of deep concern and called for immediate attention and action.
D’Mello has raised questions in the letter over whether Pawar and Patel were properly briefed in detail about the local politics of the NCP by Sirsat. He said the issue seems to have been mishandled as the party leaders have not been apprised in a proper manner.
He further stated in the letter that the State party president continued to tell him not to take a stand on important maters like highway diversion, Regional Plan, illegal casinos, etc, as he (Sirsat) would call for EC meeting to take a policy decision on these issues.
Sources said D’Mello has envisaged on the urgent meeting of the EC not only to take policy decision on several burning issues affecting Goa, but also to formulate a strategy of the party for the ensuing assembly elections.