Faleiro’s bluff called: When offered Presidents’ post, Luizinho told Rahul Gandhi he wanted to rest, was not keeping well

PANAJI: The cat is finally out of the bag. Luizinho Faleiro had planned his exit from the Goa Congress a long time ago. He was merely keeping a low profile and bidding time, waiting for the right moment to strike. His rants of being sidelined are nothing but PR hyperbole as Rahul Gandhi himself today stated that Faleiro was given various options, but he feigned illness saying he wanted to rest. Rahul Gandhi was in regular contact with Faleiro over the months, inquiring about the political situation in Goa. Faleiro had Gandhi’s ear at all times and a 24×7 hotline to New Delhi.

According to former Calangute MLA Agnelo Fernandes, who met Rahul Gandhi and other senior AICC officials in New Delhi today, Gandhi told him that he had offered Faleiro the GPCC President’s post or any other top posts, about a month to two months earlier.

According to Rahul Gandhi, Faleiro told him that he was not keeping well and that he wanted to rest due to his advancing age. He said he could not manage hectic activity and requested Gandhi to give the post to someone else as he was not suited for the post which required a lot of traveling and hectic physical activity.

Varad Mardolkar, Goa Youth Congress chief addressing media persons in Goa said Faleiro never joined in or supported any activity or protests in Goa, ostensibly due to advancing age and illness.

Social activist and women’s rights leader Espy Costa, said Faleiro had planned his exit months earlier and was only making excuses to hang on in the party and find the opportune moment to jump ship. His claims of being sidelined or humiliated are completely false, because Gandhi had offered him the top post just weeks earlier.

Costa said Faleiro joined the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) for bags of cash as the Mamata Banerjee-led party has promised him over Rs 150 crore for the upcoming assembly elections in Goa. “Personally, Faleiro was offered Rs 25 crore upfront for joining the TMC. He has switched loyalties only for bundles of cash,” Costa said.

All his allegations against the party leadership in Delhi are false and Faleiro is bluffing, making excuses to defend his party hopping, Costa said.

Faleiro who is in Kolkata for the induction into the TMC, was not available for comment.

Meanwhile, sources told this reporter that a Goa businessman with contacts in Kolkata and who runs a media business and Tv channel in the coastal state has agreed to support the TMC in Goa and pump in nearly Rs 50 crore immediately to fund party work.