In another among a series of departures from the Goa Congress, Working President of the party's Goa unit Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco quit the party on Monday, 20 December.
Lourenco's resignation comes merely days after the Congress on Thursday had announced his candidature for the Curtorim constituency, ahead of the 2022 Goa Assembly elections.
The three-time MLA from Curtorim is likely to join the Trinamool Congress (TMC), as per reports.
"We had given Reginaldo the Congress ticket after consulting with the highest decision making body the CEC. He is not just a betrayer but also a backstabber. If anyone wants to still leave, please leave now itself. We will still win the elections in 2022," veteran Congress leader from Goa Digambar Kamat told reporters on Monday.
Meanwhile, Congress Goa in-charge Dinesh Gundu Rao tweeted, "People who do things selfishly and betray trust will face the consequences. After taking whatever he could and misleading us till the last minute, if he could lie and cheat us , I'm sure the voters of Curtorim will teach him a befitting lesson. INC Goa is undeterred and unfazed."
Lourenco's departure, which comes after a number of recent others, brings the party's strength in the 40-member state Assembly down to two.
In September, former Goa Chief Minister and Congress leader for over 40 years, Luizinho Faleiro, had joined the TMC along with five other former Congress leaders.
The smallest Indian state with an area of 3,702 square kilometre will see an election battle in 2022 with at least eight national and regional parties in the fray.
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