Raju Nayak - Indian Express Posted online: Monday, April 4 Panaji - The Congress in Goa, which was appearing to be in a resurgent mood after victories in the just-concluded zila parishad elections, has once again gone back to the âcrab-mentalityâ that has been identified with its leadership. Now the bone of contention seems to be the chairmanship of South Goa zila parishad. State Congress president Luizinho Faleiro had declared to the media that Joe Dias was the official party nominee for the post after another contender Atul Verlekar and a Faleiro nominee lost out to the former in the draw of lots â a technique adopted by party to decide the nominee for the post. However, Dias, a protegeâ of South Goa MP Churchill Alemao was defeated in the polls with zila parishad members affiliated to the Faleiro-faction voting en masse against the official nominee and electing Alex Reginaldo Lourenco, who had kept away from the Congressâ internal confabulations aimed at creating a consensus for the post. Angered at this âbackstabbingâ, Alemao, during a press conference, demanded that Faleiro be replaced as Pradesh Congress Committee president to rid the state of the ââcancerââ that was plaguing the partyâs state unit. In reply, Faleiroâs supporters attacked Alemao in press statements and demanded disciplinary action against him immediately. The entire episode has once again confirmed public fears that the state unit continues to be fragmented to the point of self-destruction and this may turn out to be ominous to the partyâs prospects in the five by-elections slated for mid-May this year. ----- Carlos
