Former speaker Francisco Sardinha is new GPCC chief

Panaji, Aug 16 (UNI) Former chief minister and speaker Francisco Sardinha was today appointed the new president of the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC).

He will replace the incumbent and Home Minister Ravi S Naik. He will assume office shortly.

Mr Sardinha was defeated by Save Goa Front member Reginaldo Laurenco in Curtorim constituency of South Goa in the June 2 elections.

''My priority is to consolidate the party from the grassroots level so that it could do better in the next elections,'' he told UNI.

Thanking the party high command for keeping faith in him, the 61-year-old Mr Sardinha said he would discharge his duty with the team spirit to take the party to greater heights.

He was a member of Parliament for 13 months representing South Goa when Mr Vajpayee was the prime minister.

He became chief minister on November 24, 1999 and held the post till October 2000. He first contested as Congress (U) nominee in 1977 and later joined the Congress.

UNI