TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: If many a soccer crazy fan went home disappointed after spending sleepless nights during the weekend outside the ticket counter at the Nehru stadium at Fatorda, the political class, especially the Ministers and MLAs, were the fortunate lot as they played Santa Claus ahead of the Christmas season by purchasing the tickets in bulk.
Information has now revealed that a good number of tickets have been pocketed by the MLAs and the political class for distribution to their supporters and workers in their respective constituencies. Barring a few, it is learnt that most of the Ministers and MLAs from both districts had placed orders for tickets in bulk, not just for the semi final match between F C Goa and Atletico de Kolkata, but almost for all the league matches played at the Nehru stadium.
Sources said that amongst the lot, one of the ministers holds the distinction for buying tickets from day one, spending Rs 50,000 and more per match. The same minister is now believed to have purchased around 400-plus tickets for Wednesday’s semi-final and the process of distribution of tickets to their workers has got underway in the constituencies.
Inquiries have revealed that tickets were purchased in bulk right from Vasco to Canacona and Quepem and Salcete talukas by the politicos ostensibly to keep their supporters in good humour. North Goa politicians did not lag behind their South Goa counterparts. Orders were placed for tickets by the politicians from North Goa for the league matches.
Opposition MLAs such as ALeixo Reginaldo Lourenco and Vijai Sardesai, however, appeared a disappointed lot. They said that while their ruling counterparts pocketed a good number of tickets, they were left high and dry by the organisers.
Curtorim MLA Lourenco said he had placed an order for 100 tickets for the semi final match, but lamented that they promised to sell him only 50 tickets. “Today I was told that I may get only 15 tickets, but I am not sure whether I will get the tickets or not. But, I want to tell the organisers that I am no more interested in the tickets and they may sell the tickets to the soccer fans who were willing to pay and watch the semi-final match”, Lourenco said.
His Fatorda counterpart Sardesai wondered when the Goa government is silent on the ticket fiasco just because the ruling politicians have been favoured with a quota of passes and tickets when fans who spent sleepless nights near the ticket counters at Fatorda had to go empty-handed.
