PANJIM: It’s the high tourism season and Goa has opened wide its doors to tourists. But this December, it’s going to be a little different. Landing in Goa this season are not just leisure and business tourists, but political tourists too. With the elections dates expected to be announced in the coming weeks, the campaign for 2017 is gaining momentum and party bosses from Delhi are dropping in regularly.
Expected this week is Congress National Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, who is scheduled to address a public rally besides meet party workers on Wednesday, while Liberation Day, December 19, will see Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) head and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal wooing Goans. This will be Kejriwal’s fourth visit to the State this year. The party has already appointed Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia as Goa observer for the polls.
No Central Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader is yet scheduled to be in Goa this month, though BJP national spokesperson GVL Narsimha Rao visited last week. “No central leader will be in Goa this month,” BJP Goa General Secretary Sadanand Shet Tanawade told Herald.
But, BJP, involved in a feud with ally Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) will have its ‘Bhai’ Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar celebrating his birthday on Tuesday and addressing the Vijay Sankalp rally at Calangute the same day. There is also every possibility of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari coming to the State to attempt to settle the difference between the BJP and MGP leaders. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has visited Goa twice in the past two months.
NCP was expecting to welcome senior party leader Praful Patel on December 18. However, NCP Goa President Jose Philip D’Souza said, “Due to some emergency, he (Patel) will not be able to come to Goa on the scheduled date. His next visit is still not planned.”
