Former Goa Chief Minister Luizinho Faleiro has revealed that he met political strategist Prashant Kishor before he made up his mind to leave the Congress to join the Trinamool Congress.
“I didn’t meet TMC leaders. I met I-PAC, I met Prashant Kishor from I-PAC just before I took the decision & had interaction with him. It was difficult for me to leave Congress,but finally in the interest of Goa, country & to defeat BJP, I joined TMC,” Faleiro was quoted by news agency ANI.
Faleiro, a veteran Congress leader, had stunned everyone early this week by resigning from his party to join the Trinamool Congress.
I didn't meet TMC leaders. I met I-PAC, I met Prashant Kishor from I-PAC just before I took the decision & had interaction with him. It was difficult for me to leave Congress,but finally in the interest of Goa, country & to defeat BJP, I joined TMC: Former Goa CM Luizinho Faleiro pic.twitter.com/0WJZAS9Ab7
— ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2021
Welcoming Faleiro in her party, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had said, “It’s a matter of great pride for me to welcome Former Goa CM, 7-time MLA and stalwart Goan leader Shri @luizinhofaleiro to the Trinamool Congress family. Together we will stand up for every Goan, fight divisive forces and work towards ushering in a NEW DAWN for Goa.”
Goa, which is currently governed by the BJP, goes to polls early next year. The Trinamool has announced its intention to contest next year’s Goa assembly polls. In the last assembly polls, the Congress had missed out an opportunity to form a government despite emerging as the single largest party. Many of its MLAs had later defected to the BJP.
Faleiro said that the Trinamool intended to fight the next assembly polls without forging alliances with any parties. Meanwhile, Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party too has expressed its desire to contest the next assembly polls in the coastal state of India. The party had performed badly in the last assembly polls.
Since then, the AAP has suffered more setbacks in Goa as its state convenor Elvis Gomes left the party to join the Congress in August this year.
