Former MLA Agnelo Fernandes, Congress Calangute Block rebels, quits: may join TMC

CALANGUTE, GOA: Less than 24 hours post the induction of ex-Calangute BJP MLA Michael Lobo, his wife and supporters into the Congress, the entire Congress Calangute Block, including the former Congress Calangute MLA Agnelo Fernandes resigned en masse in protest.

Sources said the entire Block is expected to join the Mamata Banerjee-led All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) Goa unit, but confirmation is still awaited.

“We the Calangute Block of the Congress has resigned over the induction of Michael Lobo; we are not at all happy with this induction, no one was consulted before going ahead this decision, there is absolutely no loyalty left in the Congress; Digambar Kamat and Girish Chodankar only respect vitamin M and are doing deals for tickets,” former MLA Agnelo Fernandes said while speaking to the media.

Fernandes said they will campaign against the Congress candidates in Bardez taluka, claiming that if Lobo says he can work in Bardez taluka, we too can work against the Congress in Bardez.

Calangute Block Congress Committee president Benedict D’Souza said that senior Goa Election Observer P Chidambaram had categorically stated during a meeting at Candolim held three months earlier that party tickets would be allotted with active consultation of the block committee members.

D’Souza further said that Chidambaram had also mentioned that integrity, loyalty, and credibility would be the pre-requisites for a Congress ticket, and it was decided at the meeting, candidates would only be selected through the list of names submitted by the respective Block Congress Committees.

Calangute Block Congress Committee had already selected three names, i.e. Joseph Sequeira, Agnelo Fernandes and Anthony Menezes and the names were sent to the screening committee and the Pradesh Election Committee (PEC),” said D’Souza.

Former Sarpanch Joseph Sequeira claimed that he was surprised with the entry of Michael and his wife into the Congress, claiming that the decision was taken without consulting the block committee.

“From now on, our slogan will be Congress Hatao Goa Bachao; Lobo will take all Congress winning candidates into the BJP,” said Fernandes who also claimed that the BJP approached them but they did not want an alliance with the saffron party.