Panaji (GOA): The Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Shantaram Naik is appointed as the new Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president with immediate effect.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi has accepted the resignation of Luizinho Faleiro from the post of President of Goa Pradesh Congress committee and is happy to appoint Shantaram Naik in his place with immediate effect,” All India Congress Committee General Secretary Janardhan Dwivedi has said in the order issued on Friday afternoon.

“Naik has been president of the Pradesh congress committee earlier also,” he added.

The outgoing President Luizinho Faleiro will hand over charge to Naik on Saturday afternoon. Naik’s term as RS member will expire on his retirement on July 28.

There is no clarity on whether Naik’s appointment is an interim since the party’s organizational elections including that for the post of President are due in September-October, this year.

“I am happy and grateful to Soniaji and Rahulji for giving me such an important responsibility and I will do my best to serve the post,” Naik said.

Faleiro had tendered his fresh resignation to President Sonia Gandhi last month, following strong resentment amongst his legislative members over his continuation on the post.

“I am very much thankful to Soniaji and Rahul Gandhi for relieving me from the responsibility. I will always available as mentor and guide. After all, I am and will always be part and parcel of the Congress family,” former Chief Minister said.

Team TNV