TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: As Congressmen began intense introspection to exorcise the party of its recent debacles, and reinvent the organisation, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Luizinho Faleiro on Saturday appealed to senior Congressmen to be ready to step aside and hand over the baton to the younger generation.
Luizinho also admitted that some Congress leaders might have failed the party and hence few of the leaders are attempting to quit. (See interview on Pg 9)
In a welcome address delivered during the two-day Chintan Shivir, Luizinho said that the Congress party now needs to have a vision, mission and a road map to revive, rejuvenate, reinvent and create a new Congress party for Goans.
“We have to identify a new leadership, nurture it by providing quality training and guidance and finally all senior Congressmen should be ready to step aside and hand over the baton to the younger generation,” he said.
Luizinho appealed to youth to come forward and take over leadership responsibilities to build Goa of their dreams where every Goan becomes a proud partner in sustainable eco-sensitive growth, development and progress.
“We all know the reasons for the current state of the party organization. Having won least seats in the Assembly, we have nothing to lose further. Hence, let us pledge to build young leadership in Goa,” Luizinho said, in the presence of AICC secretary Dr Chella Kumar and other senior Congressmen.
“This does not mean we will give them tickets to fight elections. To get a ticket they will have to prove themselves,” he hastened to add, refusing to comment whether the party will continue to give tickets to the same old candidates.
The Congress president said that the shivir is being held against the backdrop of the party’s humiliating defeat during the 2012 Assembly polls and the recent Lok Sabha polls. “We have to understand what went wrong. Why the people of Goa which blessed the party so many times didn’t give us the mandate?” Faleiro said, addressing media during a press conference held after the inaugural, appealing to workers to go back to the people asking where and how the party failed and what needs to be done to rebuild it.
The shivir will also introspect on the party’s failure in becoming a vibrant Opposition, in taking to the streets when the government failed on its promises or raising the issue in the Assembly, he said. The session would be addressed by All India Congress Committee general secretary Digvijaya Singh on Sunday.
Leader of Opposition Pratapsing Rane and MLA Pandurang Madkaikar who were absent are likely to attend the session on Sunday. Santa Cruz MLA Atanasio Monserrate who is about to jump ship and Dabolim MLA Mauvin Godinho who is singing praises of the BJP were conspicuous by their absence. Taleigao MLA Jennifer Monserrate, former chief ministers Digambar Kamat, Ravi Naik and former MP Francisco Sardinha were present as also ticket aspirants Surendra Furtado and Ezilda Sapeco.
