TMC appoints Mahua Moitra as state in-charge of Goa unit in run-up to assembly polls
Elections to the 40-member House in Goa are due in February 2022.
The Trinamool Congress has appointed Mahua Moitra as the state in charge of the Goa unit with immediate effect, the party said in a statement.
“Our honourable chairperson Mamata Banerjee is pleased to appoint Mahua Moitra, (MP, Krishnanagar Lok Sabha) as the state in-charge of AITC Goa unit with immediate effect," said the party.
Earlier in the day, the party nominated former Goa chief minister Luizinho Faleiro for bypoll to a Rajya Sabha seat in West Bengal.
Faleiro, who left the Congress to join the Mamata Banerjee camp in September, currently holds the post of TMC vice-president.
Banerjee, the TMC supremo, had visited Goa last month and interacted with party workers and leaders there. She had stated then that she is not there for power but to help the people of the state.
“I am just like your sister, I didn't come here to capture your power. It touches my heart if we can help people when they face trouble," said Banerjee
While addressing TMC party leaders in Panaji, Banerjee said, "Bengal is a very strong state. We want to see Goa as a strong state in the future. We want to see the new dawn of Goa. Somebody's questioning 'Mamata is in Bengal, how will she do it in Goa?' Why not? I'm Indian, I can go anywhere. You can go anywhere."
"I believe in secularism. I believe in unity. I believe India is our motherland. If Bengal is my motherland, then Goa is also my motherland," she added.
Later, Tennis player Leander Paes joined the TMC in Goa.
The party had said in September that it plans to contest all 40 seats in the next year's Goa Assembly polls on its own, without forging any alliance.
Goa Assembly has a strength of 40 members out of which BJP currently has 17 legislators and enjoys the support of legislators from Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), Vijay Sardesai of the Goa Forward Party (GFP) and three independents. GFP and MGP each have three MLAs.
Congress, on the other hand, has 15 MLAs in the house.
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