MARGAO: Trinamool Congress national vice-president Luizinho Faleiro on Friday announced his withdrawal as the party’s candidate to contest from Fatorda constituency for the February 14 Goa assembly polls.
“I announce my withdrawal as Goa TMC candidate from Fatorda and hand over the baton to a young woman, a professional. That has been the policy of the party – to empower the women,” Faleiro told a press conference in Panaji.
The Trinamool’s new candidate for the Fatorda constituency is Seoula Avilia Vas.
According to Mr Faleiro, he has taken the decision after ‘could not do justice’ in the last election. “My earlier experience says that when I fought the election last time, we could not do justice to them. To replace me, we have a very able Flora, who will represent the Fatorda constituency,” he added.
He said that he had consulted the party leaders before stepping down as Fatorda’s candidate. “I’ve taken this decision after consulting our party’s national chairman because I would like to fight and campaign all over Goa for all the TMC candidates so that they can perform well,” said the Trinamool’s National vice-president.
Speaking at the press conference Mahua Moitra said, “We are here in Fatorda to put up a fight and defeat the BJP. We are here not as the last moment option but a true and honest option to people of Fatorda who do not want BJP.”
“We have chosen a woman who is a fighter, an activist and most important she is not connected to a political family. That is what Mamata Banerjee wants to do”, said Ms Moitra.
Faleiro joined TMC in September and was elected to Rajya Sabha from West Bengal, where Mamata Banerjee’s party has an overwhelming majority. Considered to be a prized asset for the TMC in Goa, Faleiro’s candidature was announced from the Fatorda assembly seat. But he has been replaced with legal activist Seoula Vas.
The Rajya Sabha member said he took the decision after consulting the party’s national chairperson, adding that he would like to campaign all over Goa for all the TMC candidates so that they can perform well in the coming elections.
“My earlier experience says that when I fought the election last time, we could not do justice to them. To replace me, we have a very able Seoula Vas, who will represent the Fatorda constituency,” the former Goa CM said announcing the candidate’s name.
In an attempt to increase its footprint outside Bengal, Trinamool has inducted several former Congress leaders into its party. The Trinamool Congress became the principal opposition party in November last year after 12 Congress leaders, including former Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma, quit the grand old party and joined TMC.