Daijiworld Media Network – Panaji
Panaji, Feb 14: The Goa unit of the Indian National Congress will launch a fortnight-long ‘abhiyan’ from February 17 to strengthen its organisation and appoint district presidents for North Goa, Mhadei, South Goa and Kushavati.
Announcing the initiative at a press conference in Panaji on Friday, AICC Goa in-charge Manikrao Thakare said senior national and State leaders have been appointed as observers to oversee the exercise.
The observers will camp in their allotted districts for seven days, meeting party workers, office bearers and well-wishers. They will also visit each constituency and booth within their jurisdiction as part of the organisational outreach.
Thakare said detailed reports from the four districts will be submitted to the All India Congress Committee (AICC), which will then finalise the appointment of district presidents. During the exercise, interviews will be conducted with aspirants for the post, and three names from each district will be recommended to the Central Committee for final selection.
The campaign is part of a nationwide organisational strengthening drive undertaken by the Congress, which has already been completed in 17 States. Goa will carry out the exercise simultaneously with four other States, including Uttar Pradesh.
GPCC president Amit Patkar, Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao, MLAs Carlos Alvares-Ferreira and Altone D'Costa, and former chief minister Francisco Sardinha were present at the press meet.
Patkar said each central observer will be assisted by State observers. For North Goa, Shobha Oza will serve as the central observer, assisted by Sardinha. N Raghuveer Reddy has been appointed central observer for South Goa and will be assisted by D’Costa and GPCC vice president Tulio De Souza.
For the Mhadei district, AICC joint treasurer R C Khuntia has been named central observer, with Carlos Alvares and GPCC vice president Sunil Khautankar assisting him. Vijay Inder Singla will oversee Kushavati district, supported by South Goa MP Viriato Fernandes and Goa Mahila Congress president Pratiksha Khalap.
Thakare said the observers will submit daily reports to the Central Committee during their stay, adding that the campaign aims to strengthen the party at the grassroots level across Goa.