'Matter of pride to welcome Luizinho Faleiro to TMC family': Mamata on ex-Goa CM's entry

Former Goa Chief Minister Luizinho Faleiro on Wednesday joined the Trinamool Congress, which is looking to make inroads in the state ahead of the 2022 Assembly polls. The former Congress leader met TMC Supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ahead of his induction into the party. 

Taking to Twitter, Mamata Banerjee said it is a matter of great pride to welcome the former CM, 7-time MLA, and 'stalwart Goan leader' to the TMC fold. She expressed confidence that the party will stand up for every Goan, 'fight divisive forces' and work towards ushering in a new dawn for the state. 

Luizinho Faleiro joined TMC along with a group of loyalists in Kolkata on Wednesday. TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee handed over the TMC flag to Falerio and other leaders. 

After his formal induction, the former Goa CM said, "Today, when I am joining TMC, my dream is to bring the Congress family together. My main mission behind joining TMC is to defeat BJP and its divisive policies, the culture of hatred, and vengeance."

Faleiro hails Mamata’s ‘streetfighter’ spirit

Earlier in a press conference, Faleiro had lauded Mamata Banerjee’s ‘streetfighter’ spirit for 'stopping BJP from entering Bengal.' He asserted that the TMC chief symbolizes woman empowerment and can bring the country back on track of development and progress.

One of the tallest leaders in Goa, Faleiro is an MLA from Navelim which is considered to be a Congress stronghold. He was made the head of the coordination election committee released for Goa earlier this month. He was also made an AICC in charge of North East States recently.

Among others who joined the TMC today along with Former Goa CM, Luizinho Faleiro are Lavoo Mamledar, Yatish Naik, Vijay Vasudev Poi, Mario Pinto De Santana, Anand Naik, Rabindranath Faleiro, Shivdas Sonu Naik (N Shivdas), Rajendra Shivaji Kakodkar,  Antonio Monteiro Clovis Da Costa.

At present, Congress has five MLAs in the Goa Assembly. In the last Assembly polls held in 2017, Congress had emerged as the single largest party in Goa, bagging the highest number of seats at 17 in the 40-member House, restricting the BJP to 13. However successive defections have left only five MLAs in its bouquet. The Congress was outsmarted by the saffron party which formed a coalition government along with regional parties.