NT NETWORK
PANAJI
According to top sources in Congress, the party high command is likely to make stopgap arrangements as of now but it has started scouting for a new face for the topmost post to lead the party in the state for the future.
There is every possibility that a young leader could be elected as the new president of the party in the state to build it up for the future challenges.
Following persistent requests from Luizinho Faleiro that he be relieved as president of Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC), the Congress high command has decided to replace him. The name of new GPCC president, who in all probability would hold charge till the organisational elections of the party are completed, would be announced soon.
Rajya Sabha MP and senior Congress leader Shantaram Naik has emerged as a front-ranking leader to replace Faleiro. Faleiro met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday and told them that he wanted to step down in the larger interest of the party.
Sources said that Sonia Gandhi, who has been keeping away from daily affairs of the party for some time now, tried to persuade Faleiro to continue at least till the end of the organisational elections. The source also said that the Congress president acknowledged the contributions made by Faleiro in building the party in the state.
The Congress emerged as the single largest party in the recent assembly elections.
The source further said that in view of good past record of Faleiro as the AICC general secretary and in-charge of northeastern states, he may be again asked to take charge of the northeastern states in the near future as he has produced positive results in government formations there.
The Congress party high command has directed the local leaders to strengthen blocks in all 40 constituencies in the state and to build a strong base from where the party can emerge as a stronghold right from the grassroots level.
The election process for the different bodies in the Congress party organisation has already begun and the mass membership drive has been completed. GPCC vice president M K Shaikh claimed that the drive has given satisfactory results. However, he said that the party is yet to compile the data of newly enrolled members. Hence, the exact figure is unknown as of now.
He said that the election will begin at the booth level on August 19 and 20. The election for block committee level will be held from August 21 to September 4 and elections at the district level will be conducted from September 5 to September 15. The election for the top body of the party that is Pradesh Congress Committee will be held from September 16 to October 15.
Shaikh said that the two central election observers R Dhru Narayan and Pankaj Puniya were in Goa till late Wednesday evening and that they will soon come back to the state to ensure that the election process is conducted as per the guidelines laid down by the Election Commission of India.