Girish Chodankar appointed President of Goa Congress

Panaji, April 26 (IANS) Former All India Congress Committee (AICC) Secretary Girish Chodankar has been appointed the President of the Goa Congress, a party statement said on Thursday.

"Congress President Rahul Gandhi has appointed Girish Chodankar as the President of the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee with immediate effect," said the statement issued by AICC General Secretary Ashok Gehlot.

Chodankar, former President of the Youth Congress in Goa, had contested against Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in the 2017 by-poll for the Panaji legislative Assembly seat. He lost to the latter by a margin of 4,803 votes.

Chodankar, 51, replaces Shantaram Naik, who held the position of the state Congress President since last year.

His appointment comes at a time when the Congress has been unable to make a dent as a significant opposition force, despite having 16 seats in the 40-member Goa legislative Assembly.