Goa: Senior Congress leaders give disciplinary panel hearing a miss

They were facing inquiry for alleged anti-party activities during the Lok Sabha polls

In an indication that they are in no hurry to fall in line and may continue with their defiance, four senior Congress leaders in Goa, facing inquiry for alleged anti-party activities during the Lok Sabha polls, did not turn up before a party disciplinary panel.

The panel, headed by state Congress unit president John Fernandes, had issued show-cause notices to four leaders -- former MP Fransisco Sardinha, state Youth Congress chief Valanka Alemao, Lok Sabha candidate Ravi Naik and former minister Joaquim Alemao -- and asked them to appear before it on July 16.

However, none of the leaders appeared before the panel at the party's local office yesterday.

"I received a call from Joaquim Alemao that he is in Mumbai as his elder brother had been hospitalised there. He said that he will appear at next date," Fernandes said.

However, other leaders who are under scanner did not even bother to inform the panel about their inability to appear before it, he said.

Asked about the next course of action, Fernandes said that if these leaders failed to respond, than the decision would be taken ex-parte.

The panel is looking into complaints of anti-party activities, especially during the recently-held Lok Sabha polls, and the party's debacle in both the constituencies of the state.

"The recommendations of the committee will be referred to me, and if the accused leader is current MP, MLA or former parliamentarian or legislator, the recommendations would be referred to the All India Congress Committee before taking the final action," Fernandes added.