Chidambaram's calculations on Goa are awry: Trinamool leader

Panaji, Dec 27 For a former Union Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram's calculations are awry, Goa Trinamool leader Kiran Kandolkar said on Monday, slamming the Congress Committee's senior observer's criticism of the All India Trinamool Congress.

Chidambaram on Sunday had accused the Trinamool of fracturing the non-BJP vote in Goa, while adding that despite desertions by its 'leaders', 99 per cent of the Congress workers had remained loyal to the party.

"As a Finance Minister, his calculation should be correct. He says 99 per cent Congress workers are with us. Congress workers have joined the AITC, because they feel that the party is not serious about winning the 2022 Assembly polls and sending the BJP home," Kandolkar told reporters.

"Ninety nine per cent of the Congress workers remain with the Congress. I am not unhappy that Mr Reginaldo Lourenco defected to the TMC. The TMC has taken a losing candidate from our hands and, if it fields him in the election, he will remain a losing candidate," Chidambaram had said in an interview.

Last week, Goa Congress working president Lourenco became the latest senior leader to quit the party to join the Trinamool. Lourenco's exit came days after the Congress had formally finalised his ticket to the Curtorim Assembly seat in South Goa.

A total of 16 Congress MLAs have quit the party so far, reducing the legislative strength of the party to a mere two seats.

"I condemn Chidambaram's statement. it is a foolish statement and not becoming of a senior leader," Kandolkar also said.