TEAM HERALD
BICHOLIM: Supporters of former Sanquelim councillor, Sunita Verekar, have reportedly tried to downplay any rift between them and the supporters of former MLA Pratap Gawas in the Sanquelim Block Congress.
It may be recalled that there was recently some discomfort among the Sanquelim Block Congress workers after Verekar was appointed as general secretary of Goa Pradesh Congress Committee.
The Sanquelim Block Congress Committee, which is supported by Gawas, immediately convened a news conference and stated that the decision could not be accepted. The block committee even went to the extent of writing to Congress party leader Sonia Gandhi, national general secretary Rahul Gandhi, Digvijay Singh and Goa’s coordinator Chella Kumar strongly demanding a thorough inquiry into the alleged appointment of an “anti-Congress party person” as general secretary of the Goa State Pradesh Congress Committee. The news conference was attended by Sanquelim block president Digambar Naik, ZP member Laxmikant Parab, North Goa Congress committee member Anant Pissurlekar and others.
Without directly naming Verekar, they went to the extent of claiming that if the appointment is not rolled back, then they would be compelled to form a rebel group.
Later, Verekar’s supporters addressed another news conference to argue that Verekar was appointed because of the party work she had done over the last many years in Sanquelim. The news conference was attended by Sanquelim Municipal Councillor Riyaaz Beg, ex-councillor Brahmanand Desai and others.
They tried to do away with the rumour that there were any differences in Sanquelim among the Congress supporters.
“There are no differences in Sanquelim and neither is there a rat race for the coming assembly elections scheduled after some three years,” Beg told media persons. “The candidates for election are decided by the senior party authorities and we will work for the one selected by the party.”
