Staff Reporter
Panaji
All India Trinamool Congress MP Luizinho Faleiro has resigned as a member of the Rajya Sabha. Faleiro has also quit the party led by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
He submitted his resignation letter as MP to Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankar on Tuesday. This development comes a day after the Trinamool Congress (TMC) party lost its national party tag.
Faleiro, a former chief minister of Goa, joined TMC in September 2021 in a much fanfare event ahead of the Goa legislative assembly polls after resigning as Congress MLA.
Later, AITC chairperson Mamata Banerjee appointed him as the national vice president of the party and in November 2021, he was elected unopposed as Rajya Sabha member from West Bengal.
It is a known fact that the Banerjee-led TMC was after Faleiro’s resignation as the Rajya Sabha member, as he had refused to contest the Goa elections from the Fatorda constituency.
Faleiro had taken oath as Rajya Sabha member on November 29, 2021 after he was elected unopposed in a bypoll.
Interestingly, Faleiro, who was elected as member of the Goa legislative assembly seven times, dumped the Congress party in September 2021 claiming that he wanted to bring a new dawn to Goa under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee. However, his refusal to contest the Goa polls from Fatorda, after it was approved by Banerjee, marked the beginning of his end in TMC.
This was evident with Faleiro being sidelined in the party affairs and not included in the Goa TMC executive body despite being the tallest leader of Goa. A report that Faleiro was on his way out from the TMC was published in this daily on September 15, 2022.
In a statement issued after his resignation, Faleiro said that it was an important and well thought out decision of his political and legislative career and he could have no better day than this when new beginnings and rejuvenation is being celebrated. “I have decided to resign from my membership of the Rajya Sabha, very graciously accorded to me by the Trinamool Congress party and its leader, the Chief Minister of Bengal and one of the shining lights of secularism Mamata Banerjee,” he said.
Faleiro further said that Banerjee inspired him to accept her invitation to join the party before the last assembly elections. “I did so because the Congress had not succeeded in bringing together all the forces in the country which believed in seeing a united, secular India without any divisions among human beings. The TMC did bring with it a ray of hope especially because it was led by their ‘Didi’. She was the magnet around which the party functioned and owned its popularity. I had hoped that with her leadership and personal involvement and with fresh grassroots candidates, Goa would see a new template of grassroots politics which is what the name Trinamool stands for,” he stated. Faleiro further said that things, however, did not quite go according to the plan inspite of the best intentions.
Faleiro further said that while this opposition is of privilege and great honour, it also comes with responsibility. “I am of the considered opinion that I should free myself of this responsibility to enable me to work as a foot soldier again for Goa’s cause in my sunset years in public service,” he said.
He also thanked ‘Didi’ for giving him an important position in the party like the national vice president. “I once again thank Mamata Banerjee for the opportunity and wish her the best of health to carry out her mission of protecting India’s secular credentials,” he stated.
Meanwhile, TMC wished Faleiro good health, happiness and a long life. “We sincerely hope that he continues to tirelessly serve the people of Goa and strives towards achieving more progress and advancement in the state,” it said in the party’s statement. It further said that AITC will announce a new candidate for the seat as and when the election is notified.