BJP candidate Alina Saldanha was elected unopposed today after Congress candidate Raymond D'Sa and Independent candidate Ramakant Borkar opted out of the contest.
All India Congress Committee General Secretary Jagmeet Singh Brar told PTI that a four-member committee, comprising Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Subhash Shirodkar, Leader of Opposition Pratapsingh Rane, former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and party legislator Aleixo Lourenco Reginaldo, has been formed to study and expose the operation by BJP in Cortalim.
Brar alleged Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, "who speaks high about good governance", was instrumental in pressurising D'Sa to withdraw from the fray.
"The committee will expose how the operation was executed, at which hotel the meetings were held and all other details will be brought out. We have ample proof against the BJP," the Congress leader, who was instrumental in selecting D'Sa for the candidature.
The committee, he said, will be reporting back to the high command within seven days with the report.
Brar claimed that the entire operation went for seven days.
Congress party has alleged that Parrikar was threatening D'Sa to gag his business through various government inquiries.
"The panchayat, which is represented by D'Sa was also pressurised by the chief minister," he claimed.
Brar said that the Congress has already started acting and D'Sa has been expelled from party's primary membership for the next six years.
"GPCC president Shirodkar has already served the order expelling D'Sa for six years," he said.
The Congress leader claimed that the party was in the dark over D'Sa's withdrawal.
"Congress leaders were waiting for him in the Congress house in Panaji, when he went alone and withdrew (his name)," Brar said adding that D'Sa was selected as a candidate for Cortalim bypoll because 'there was a demand from local population. "Selection of the candidate was not wrong. There was a demand to nominate D'Sa," he said.
