Chapter in Cong to allot tickets to defectors closed: PC

Stating that the Congress practice of allotting party tickets to habitual defectors was a shameful chapter which would be closed forever, former union minister P Chidambaram said the 330 active members of the Canacona block Congress would be given right to recommend candidates to contest elections from Canacona.

He also added that the upcoming Goa Assembly elections would be a worker-driven elections.

The AICC election incharge of Congress for Goa was addressing Canacona Congress Block workers in the presence of Goa Desk Incharge Dinesh Gundu Rao, GPCC President Girish Chodankar, South MP Franscisco Sardhinha, Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat, Curtorim MLA Reginald Lourenco and GPCC Working President (Elections) Aleixo Sequeira.

Responding to demands of party workers to announce the Congress candidate for Canacona at the earliest possible and without waiting for the last moment, Chidambaram hit out at Dy Speaker and Canacona MLA

Isidore Fernandes, who after being elected on the Congress ticket switched sides to join the BJP.

“I am shocked to learn that a defector was given the ticket not once and twice but thrice. That's the shameful chapter of Congress history. I have come here to assure you that this shameful chapter is closed. Never again will we repeat that shameful chapter in Goa, thundered Chidambaram, much to the delight of Congress workers.

Stating that this is his fourth visit to Goa in the last one month, Chidambaram said Canacona Congress block has 330 active members at present.

“They will be given the right to recommend candidates to fight the 2022 elections from Canacona. The Block can recommend up to 3 names, while the Congress party will select one among them based on their loyalty to the party, integrity to serve people, acceptability among Congress workers and winnability in elections. The upcoming Goa Assembly elections will be a workerdriven elections,” he said.

Chidambaram congratulated the Canacona Congress workers and said their loyalty has been the real victory of party.

“Workers do everything in an election. Every time you elected a Congress candidate, you worked hard, you campaigned among the constituents, you went door to door, you shouted slogans, fixed posters/ banners, you carried flags, you knocked the door of every house and asked for votes, and the candidate won. While you remained loyal to the party, the winning candidate betrayed the party.”