PANJIM: Leader of the Opposition, Pratapsing Rane and Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Luizinho Faleiro for the first time spoke of new faces contesting the ensuing 2017 assembly elections.
“We want new faces for the 2017 elections,” Rane told a section of the media after a State executive meet of the Youth Congress at Dona Paula on Thursday. The party’s seniormost leader, however, declined to elaborate on his statement. “I will definitely support my party,” he commented.
Faleiro too favours the idea. “Work is on to prepare the youth leaders (for the 2017elections). It is an important frontal organization of the party and we need young faces,” he said.
National President for Youth Congress Amarinder Singh Raja, who chaired the meeting which was attended by State youth wing leaders, said that youth working at the grassroots level should be encouraged to contest the elections. He added they will certainly not demand any quota but hope that the party encourages strong contenders for the upcoming polls.
“Youth Congress can play a crucial role. We need young faces though not any quota. We need a leader who has worked at the grassroots level and is aware of every issue,” he said, adding the meeting also chalked out strategies to strengthen the State youth wing, which currently lacks proper direction.
The five-hour meeting comprehensively discussed about BJP-led coalition’s failure to live up to the expectation of the people of Goa, particularly on the employment front. Singh said the government has destroyed hopes to provide job opportunities to qualified Goan youth.
Faleiro echoed his opinion adding that BJP ‘finished Goa economically.’ “Goa is finished economically. Mining operations are shut since three years. There is no future of Goan youth who are eagerly waiting for BJP to accomplish its (2012 election) manifesto promise of creating job opportunities. There is no employment and no opportunities.
for self-employment either,” he alleged.
The youth leaders have questioned government’s failure to implement the unemployment subsidy, which was one of many promises in its manifesto.
