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Day after skipping Goa party meeting, ‘rebel’ leaders say they are with Congress
Congress rebel leaders Digambar Kamat and Michael Lobo said they are still with the Congress but were deeply hurt by the ‘allegations’ against them
A day after the Congress leadership accused two of its leaders, Digambar Kamat and Michael Lobo, of conspiring in collusion with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to weaken the Congress as the principal Opposition party, both the leaders said they were still with the Congress but were deeply hurt by the ‘allegations’ against them.
“I have seen the video of the press conference of (All India Congress Committee desk in-charge of Goa) Dinesh Gundu Rao which was circulated. I am shocked, stunned and it has hurt me beyond words,” former Goa chief minister and the party’s senior-most legislator in the state, Digambar Kamat, said.
Kamat, who failed to be present at the Congress headquarters in the state capital, Panaji, on Sunday, said he was living life as “retired hurt” after the Congress “humiliated” him by failing to make him the leader of Opposition despite having led the party during the polls.
“In cricket there is a term ‘retired hurt’. My workers were humiliated and in that I am also hurt. I had told him (Gundu Rao) that for the time being I am not accepting any responsibility and when I am fit, then we shall see,” Kamat told reporters outside the Goa Legislative Assembly where he came to attend the first day of the monsoon session.
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“I told him that there has been speculation about me for the last two years. During the last two elections, there was speculation that Digambar is going. If I wanted to go, I would have gone before the elections,” he added.
Similarly, Michael Lobo said he wasn’t present at the Congress headquarters on Saturday evening because the Congress was holding too many meetings and press conferences.
He claimed he went to the chief minister’s official residence to discuss compensation for those affected by the inclement weather.
“We won on the Congress ticket and we are with the Congress party. The question does not arise of having so many press conferences and so many CLP (Congress Legislature Party) meetings. Allegations are made. Yesterday because we were not there for the press conference, does it necessitate allegations? We were there yesterday (afternoon) and the day before. We are strongly with the Congress,” Lobo said.
On the party’s decision to drop him as leader of Opposition, Lobo said that it was his own request that he be relieved of the responsibility.
“I told Dinesh Gundu Rao that I am not interested in continuing as leader of Opposition because there are various issues raised on me by the ruling side. It will be very difficult and embarrassing for others. I said senior leader Digambar Kamat is there or you can give it to someone else,” Lobo said.
On Sunday, after a day of hectic political activity, the Congress was able to show only five MLAs at the headquarters while Lobo and a group of three other Congress MLAs were seen entering the chief minister’s official residence and were not in touch with the Congress leadership.
“There was a conspiracy that was hatched by the BJP in collusion with two of our leaders to ensure that the Congress which is the principal opposition party is weakened and to engineer splits and defections within the Congress,” AICC desk in charge Dinesh Gundu Rao said late on Sunday evening adding that the conspiracy was led by Digambar Kamat, who he said went towards the BJP for power and position while Lobo he said was doing so ‘to save his own skin’ because of the many cases he was facing.
“We will be taking action against the two. Lobo is removed as Leader of Opposition with immediate effect and we will be acting against other MLAs as per law,” Gundu Rao added.
Lobo, who quit the BJP and joined the Congress ahead of the elections held earlier this year, was said to be in touch with the BJP leadership in an effort to bring at least eight MLAs to merge with the BJP. However as six Congress MLAs refused to come along, the plan appeared to fizzle out.
It emerged on Sunday that there were two camps within the Congress-- a group of five MLAs who were said to be eager to join the BJP and another six MLAs who staunchly opposed the move.
In the 40-member assembly, the ruling BJP has 20 seats, one short of the majority. The party enjoys the support of three independents and two members of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party.
Goa has a history of defections, creating a record for having 13 chief ministers in 12 years between 1989 and 2000.
During the previous term of the Legislative Assembly, 10 MLAs merged with the BJP while 27 MLAs jumped ship from the party on whose ticket they were elected.
