Chaos in Cong continues; Pratima replaces Deshprabhu on inquiry panel
GOANEWS & PTI, PANAJI | 17 July 2014 21:27 IST
The opposition Congress here replaced Jitendra Deshprabhu with Pratima Coutinho as the convenor of its disciplinary action committee as he failed to turn up for the inquiry session held yesterday.
On the other hand, four Congress leaders, against whom the inquiry is instituted for anti-party activities during recently held Lok Sabha election, also did not turn up.
Deshprabhu, along with opposition leader Pratapsing Rane, did not turn up for the inquiry session held yesterday at the Congress House.
A press communiqué issued in this regard stated that Coutinho would take over as the convenor while Deshprabhu would continue to be the member of the committee.
The Congress has instituted inquiry against North Goa candidate Ravi Naik as well as other leaders like Francisco Sardinha, Joaquim Alemao as well as Goa Youth Congress president Valanka Alemao.
Sardinha is being charged with working for his son Shalom, who was independent candidate while both Alemaos allegedly worked for Churchill Alemao, who left Congress to contest as the Trinamool Congress candidate.
The panel, along with GPCC president John Fernandes, had issued notice to all four leaders to appear before them on 16 July.
However, none of the leaders appeared before the panel at the party's local office on Wednesday.
"I received a call from Joaquim Alemao that he is in Mumbai as his elder brother had been hospitalised there. He said that he will appear at next date," Fernandes said.
However, other leaders who are under scanner did not even bother to inform the panel about their inability to appear before it, he said.
Asked about the next course of action, Fernandes said that if these leaders failed to respond, than the decision would be taken ex-parte.
The panel is looking into complaints of anti-party activities, especially during the recently-held Lok Sabha polls, and the party's debacle in both the constituencies of the state.
"The recommendations of the committee will be referred to me, and if the accused leader is current MP, MLA or former parliamentarian or legislator, the recommendations would be referred to the All India Congress Committee before taking the final action," Fernandes added.
Goa Congress Should Merge With Goa TMC. Nobody Is Going To Vote Congress. Better Merge With TMC. Congress Should Windup From Goa. TMC Is A Good Party For Congress Supporters.