Team Herald
PANJIM: Maintaining that it has nothing to fear from Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) campaign in the State ahead of the 2017 polls, the Congress Party on Thursday challenged the Arvind Kejriwal-led party to first prove itself in Delhi (where it is in power) and then dream about Goa.
“AAP is yet to prove itself in Delhi, where they formed the government with a majority and they have started dreaming about Goa. Let them first prove to the people of Delhi,” Opposition Leader Pratapsingh Rane told media on Thursday.
“Let him (Kejriwal) first take care of his people in Delhi to whom he made tall promises. In Goa too, he has started a similar game plan but people of Goa are well versed with the situation in Delhi,” Rane said, and was supported by State Congress president Luizinho Faleiro. He said that Kejriwal made tall promises to the people of Delhi and has now sold them. Reacting to the same, Rane said Congress is one of the oldest political outfits having a strong base in Goa and it is not possible to break its base. Meanwhile, Congress has decided to support the GST Bill which will be taken up at a day-long special session called on August 31.
Kejriwal has been regularly visiting Goa since May. He has interacted with a cross section of people, including from taxi owners, fishermen, tribals and mining dependants. During his recent visit last week, the Delhi Chief Minister said the 2017 Goa election will be a straight fight between BJP and AAP, and Congress will be wiped out.
Reacting to the same, Rane said Congress is one of the oldest political outfits having a strong base in Goa and it is not possible to break its base. “I admit that our party is not perfect… it has flaws… but it is in case of all political parties,” he stated. “People of Goa know Congress, we will have to work hard to impress upon them once again,” the former chief minister said.
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Rane non-committal on contesting 2017 polls
PANJIM: Goa’s longest-serving Congress MLA, Pratapsingh Rane, on Thursday dogged the question whether he would contest the 2017 elections stating he “will decide at the right time”. “When the time comes, I will decide on it. We will discuss,” Rane said when asked about the mounting speculation that he may not contest the coming elections. “We have many young faces, who are quite good enough,” the former chief minister added. It is learnt that the Poriem block committee has recommended his name for the party ticket from the constituency.
