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Congress general secretary KC Venugopal on Sunday made an unscheduled stop at the Chicalim Farmers Club, where he interacted with local farmers along with South Goa MP Viriato Fernandes.
Accompanying him during the visit were Goa Congress incharge Manickrao Thakare, AICC co-incharge Anjali Nimbalkar, Goa Congress president Girish Chodankar, state Leader of Opposition (LoP) Yuri Alemao, the party's state unit working president Carlos Alvares Ferreira and other senior Congress leaders. During the interaction, Venugopal listened to farmers' concerns and discussed issues related to agriculture, farming, and rural development in Goa. He appreciated the dedication of the farming community and reaffirmed the Congress party's commitment to protecting farmers' interests and strengthening the agricultural sector. Venugopal also enjoyed a traditional Goan lunch with the farmers and expressed his gratitude to the members of the Chicalim Farmers Club and Capt. Viriato Fernandes for their warm hospitality. He praised the Club's efforts in promoting agriculture and preserving Goa's rich farming heritage. On July 4, Venugopal arrived in Goa to lead crucial strategy sessions with senior Congress leaders. The two-day visit is primarily focused on internal organisational reviews and fine-tuning the party's roadmap for the upcoming 2027 Assembly elections. Addressing the media following the initial round of discussions, Goa Congress president Girish Chodankar dismissed speculation regarding the urgency of the visit, stating that it was a long-planned exercise. "His visit was pre-scheduled, fixed eight days ago. The agenda is strictly organisational review and election preparedness," Chodankar clarified, adding, "He has begun consulting with everyone to ensure we are aligned. Our primary target is to win by bringing everyone together and presenting a united front." Chodankar further detailed that the current visit involves high-level Political Affairs Committee (PAC) meetings, which will be followed by an extended meeting of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) to disseminate strategic directives to the grassroots level. The visit comes at a time when the Goa Congress is navigating internal challenges, including reports of growing dissent and the emergence of breakaway political factions. Political analysts suggest that Venugopal's intervention is a calculated move to reconcile party factions and solidify the Congress vote base before the 2027 polls. As the Congress party gears up for the upcoming electoral battle, this visit marks a significant step in re-energising the cadre. With the appointment of Girish Chodankar as the new GPCC president in May, the party is looking to restructure its various wings, including district, block, youth, and mahila committees, to create a more robust and responsive organisation. (ANI)
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