Goa Polls

Goa: Calangute Congress Block sees red as Michael Lobo resigns as Minister, quits BJP

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PANAJI: Even as Goa minister and BJP MLA Michael Lobo on Monday resigned from the Pramod Sawant-led cabinet and also as member of the Legislative Assembly, ahead of the state polls scheduled next month, the Calangute Congress Block took umbrage at not being kept in the loop by their senior leaders.

Calangute Congress Block President Benedict D’Souza in a press note circulated to media persons in Goa, expressed his disappointment at not being updated by Senior Congress leaders on the developments in the constituency.

The press note read: the Calangute block congress committee and its workers and supporters including its President Benedict D’Souza have not been taken into confidence over BJP leader Michael Lobo or his wife’s induction into the Congress party.

Senior Congress leader and Goa election observer P Chidambaram had categorically stated in a meeting at Candolim that tickets would be allotted with the active consultation of the block members and no candidate would be forced upon party workers.

Chidambaram had also mentioned that integrity, loyalty and credibility would be the pre-requisites for a Congress ticket. He also stated in a meeting held at Candolim around three months ago, that the Congress party has committed mistakes in the past and the party is acknowledging and regrets the mistakes committed and will ensure not to repeat such mistakes again, the press note read.

It was decided at that meeting, that candidates would not be imposed by the party leadership on congress workers and well-wishers, but would only be selected from among the names sent by the Block Committee.

The Calangute Congress Block has already selected three names which have been sent to the screening committee and the Pradesh Election Committee and all the three congress leaders (in Calangute) are united and have already reached mid-way in their local campaign, D’Souza said in his media release.

Meanwhile, the Goa BJP unit later said Lobo’s move will not have any impact on the party’s prospects in the state Assembly elections, to be held on February 14.

Lobo, who represented the Calangute Assembly constituency and held charge of the state port and waste management departments, submitted his resignation to the chief minister’s office and the Goa Assembly’s Speaker.

He is likely to join the Congress either today or tomorrow, sources said.

“I have resigned from both the posts. I will see what steps are to be taken next. I have also resigned from the BJP,” Lobo told reporters.

Asked whether he will join the Congress, Lobo said he is in talks with other political parties.

He claimed that people were unhappy with the ruling BJP in the coastal state.

”The voters told me that the BJP is no more a party of the common people,” he said, while claiming that the grass-root level workers were feeling ignored by the party.

However, Goa BJP president Sadanand Shet Tanavade said Lobo’s decision to leave the party will have no impact on its prospects in the upcoming state polls. Lobo had left the party long back and he was “only physically present with us,” Tanavade said.

He may have left, but other workers in the Calangute Assembly constituency are with the party, he said. The BJP will field a fresh candidate to retain the Calangute Assembly seat in the elections, Tanavade said. The Election Commission of India on Saturday announced that elections to all 40 Assembly constituencies in Goa would be held on February 14.

(with inputs from PTI)

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