Panaji, Sep 13 (IANS) The next chief of the Congress in Goa will be named by party president Sonia Gandhi and will not be elected through intra-party polls, a state leader said Monday.

Speaking to reporters, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Subhash Shirodkar said the selection of a candidate by Gandhi was any day better than an election process.

‘This is required for the healthy atmosphere in the party,’ Shirodkar said, ruling out any question of dissent within the party.

Shirodkar, a former cabinet minister who was elected to the post in September 2008, said a special resolution was adopted by the PCC members at a meeting Sunday in Panaji calling upon Gandhi to pick and choose the state president.

‘Madam is in the best position to decide who will head the party here,’ Shirodkar said.

The Congress, which is a senior partner in an alliance government in Goa along with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the regional Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), has a history of bitter in-fighting during party elections.

Panaji, Sep 13 (IANS) The next chief of the Congress in Goa will be named by party president Sonia Gandhi and will not be elected through intra-party polls, a state leader said Monday.

Speaking to reporters, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Subhash Shirodkar said the selection of a candidate by Gandhi was any day better than an election process.

‘This is required for the healthy atmosphere in the party,’ Shirodkar said, ruling out any question of dissent within the party.

Shirodkar, a former cabinet minister who was elected to the post in September 2008, said a special resolution was adopted by the PCC members at a meeting Sunday in Panaji calling upon Gandhi to pick and choose the state president.

‘Madam is in the best position to decide who will head the party here,’ Shirodkar said.

The Congress, which is a senior partner in an alliance government in Goa along with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the regional Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), has a history of bitter in-fighting during party elections.