Addressing media personnel at a conference in Panjim on Monday, MLA of Navelim and former Chief
Minister of Goa, Luizinho Faleiro announced that he would be resigning as the Congress MLA to
effectively fight the divisive forces in the state and work towards the betterment of Goa.
Over his 40-year career as an elected representative, Mr Faleiro has been a seven-term MLA from
Navelim Constituency in South Goa and served twice as the Chief Minister of Goa. Recollecting the
journey to successfully achieving two defining aspirations of Goans – the recognition of the official
language and securing statehood for the state, Mr Faleiro thanked his constituents for their
unwavering faith to elect him unopposed in 1989. In 1991, he was sworn in as the Labour Minister
and had introduced an employment policy to secure 100% reservation in government jobs for Goans
and 80% reservation in private sector jobs. At the same time, he was instrumental in passing several
legislations for the protection of the environment, ecology, and trees.
Mr Faleiro started off as an young activist and was elected as the Navelim MLA for the first time in
1979, and later went on to win the seat for six consecutive terms till 2003 elections. In 2007, he was
handed a larger responsibility as General Secretary of the INC at the national level during which time
he played a key role in forming Congress governments in Meghalaya, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh
and Manipur and later in Karnataka, as the Chairman of the Screening Committee.
In 2017, he returned to Goa to lead the Congress during the Assembly elections and was re-elected
for the record 7th time from Navelim constituency. When the results were declared, the INC had won
an absolute majority 17 seats for the first time in over a decade. Mr Faleiro was also instrumental in
garnering support from 3 other elected MLAs and was poised to be sworn in as the next Chief Minister
of Goa with a clear majority. The incumbent BJP CM and almost the entire cabinet had been defeated
with a historic win for the INC in Goa in 2017.
Mr Faleiro highlighted that on the evening when results were announced, he had insisted on
submitting a letter to the Governor, in accordance with the AICC legal department’s advisory, to stake
a claim to form a Congress led government. However, he was prevented from going to the governor
by the AICC desk in charge and asked to wait till they had 24 MLAs, a decision that eventually cost the
INC Government and allowed the BJP to steal the mandate. He reiterated that he felt dejected,
shocked and utterly betrayed to let down the people of Goa who had entrusted the INC with their
mandate.
The next day after the announcement of results, when Mr Faleiro was duly elected as the leader of
the CLP with 13 MLAs in his favour, he refrained from taking up the position as the INC had failed it’s
people. Later, the General Secretary and other senior leaders tried to have him removed as GPCC
President claiming that they would be able to form a government in 24 hours. Mr Faleiro stated that
he resigned as GPCC president while senior party leaders were indulging in backstabbing.
In a letter that he released today addressing his constituents, he said, “All along, in spite of thinking
about resigning as MLA due to the betrayal of my people, I refused to let down the trust, support and
faith of the people of Navelim, who had stood by me through all ups and downs. Throughout this
period of four and half years I maintained a dignified silence in my suffering. I bore the pain but it was
nothing in comparison to the pain of the people of Goa. From 18 MLAs, we have been reduced to just
5, an unmistakable dent in the history of our party. Dear Naveklars, the Congress in Goa is, sadly not
the same party for which we had sacrificed and fought.”
Luizinho Faleiro stated that he continued to be in the party with the singular aim to only serve the
people of Navelim, who had bestowed in him immense trust and faith. However, in the best interest
of Goa, he has today resigned as MLA of Navelim to effectively fight the divisive forces that have
been threatening to tear apart the state and nation.
Mr Faleiro reiterated his commitment to preserve the ideals and founding principles of the INC that
he had espoused through his life. He stated that “the dream is to bring the divided Congress family,
that has always played a unifying role in the history of this country, back together to fight the forces
of destruction. However, my commitment to Goa is paramount and I must take this step so that my
dream to bring a new dawn for Goa can be realized.”