Panaji (Goa): Senior congressman and Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Shantaram Naik is most likely to be the new Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) chief.

GPCC president Luizinho Faleiro on Friday wrote to party national president Sonia Gandhi to relieve him from the responsibility.

Naik tenure as Rajya Sabha member ends in July. He has been the lone RS member from Goa since 2005.

Sources informed that Naik recently held meeting with vice president Rahul Gandhi and expressed his desire to work for the party at the state level. Sources added that Naik has assured Gandhi to take congress party to greater height if given an opportunity.

Some of the CLP members have also extended their support to Naik for the president post.

The party will hold elections for the state party president and vice-president, along with the executive committee, betweenSeptember 16 and October 15, this year.

Faleiro was appointed party President in October 2014. Post election, the former chief minister came under criticism after party failed to form the State government despite emerging as the single largest party in the polls. The criticism blew up in form of a protest with several MLAs demanding a change in leadership.

Team TNV