5 Goa leaders who joined Trinamool this year quit

Alleging that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) tried to divide the people of Goa on religious lines, five primary members of the TMC including former Goa MLA Lavoo Mamledar who had joined the party this year, resigned from the party on Friday, ahead of 2022 Assembly polls.

IMAGE: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee with Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) members after the parties announce coalition ahead of the Goa Assembly Elections, in Panaji on December 14, 2021. Photograph: ANI Photo

Besides Mamledar, the local leaders who resigned from the party include Kishor Parwar, Komal Parwar and Sujay Mallik.

In their resignation letter to All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) chief Mamata Banerjee, the departing leaders said, 'We had thought that the AITC is a secular party but with deep regret, we would like to bring to your notice that AITC has tried to divide Goans on the basis of religion by aligning with Sudan Dhavalikar.'

'AITC move to polarise Hindu votes towards MGP and Catholic votes towards AITC is purely communal in nature. We do not want to continue with a party that is trying to divide Goans. We will not allow AITC and the company managing AITC Goa to break the secular fabric of the state and we shall protect it,' the letter added.

Mamledar, former Ponda MLA had joined TMC in September last. He was one of the first local leaders in Goa to join the TMC.

Speaking to ANI, Mamledar said, "I was under the impression that the TMC was not a communal party. But on December 5, an alliance was declared between the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and the Trinamool Congress, I figured out that even the TMC is communal."

Mamledar, who was earlier with the MGP, also accused the TMC of making false promises during the campaigning for Goa assembly polls.

"The TMC launched 'Laxmi Bhandar' scheme, promising Rs 500 per month to West Bengal women. But in Goa, they promised Rs 5,000 per month, which is next to impossible. When a party feels defeated, they make false promises. I won't be a part of a party who fools people," he said.

Mamata Banerjee-led TMC aggressively started campaigning for the upcoming polls after former Goa Chief Minister Luizinho Faleiro joined the party.

Earlier this month, the TMC supremo was embarked on a three-day visit to the coastal state.

Goa is scheduled to go for the Assembly polls in early 2022.