MARGAO: While clarifying that the alliance with Shiv Sena was merely an exercise in like-minded people coming together, former deputy chief minister and Goa Forward Party supremo Vijai Sardesai expressed surprise at Congress coming to the defence of chief minister Dr Pramod Sawant.

“In Maharashtra like-minded people have come together successfully and having known Shiv Sena members who had become friends through the NDA, we thought of repeating the exercise in Goa,” said Vijai while pointing out that like GFP the Shiv Sena is also a regional political party.

He said the present government led by Dr Pramod Sawant has proven to be a dismal failure as there is total fiscal mismanagement and accused the government of surrendering Goa’s interest over Mhadei. “That is why I say the present chief minister is a very weak one,” he said.

Vijai took a dig at the Congress by accusing it of looking down at other political outfits and said this has been happening since 2017 because of which he said his party was forced to align with the BJP.

He refused to comment on Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Girish Chodankar’s statement by saying “I do not comment on people who have resigned as president and are just hanging there now.”

While stating that he is not interested in toppling government or forming an alternate government, he, however, said the present chief minister has to bow out because of the fiscal management. “We have taken Rs 1900 crore as loans but where has all that money gone,” he asked.

He also cautioned Tourism Minister Babu Ajgaonkar by stating that he and his party can well find their way to Dhargal constituency and asked the Deputy chief minister to concentrate on his Drishti, beach cleaning and road shows. 

Reacting to Babu Ajgaonkar’s comment that Vijai has lost his way in Goan politics, he said unlike Babu he does not look at his personal interest and accordingly declare people to be leaders and well wishers of the “bahujan samaj”.

He also expressed surprise over Churchill Alemao endorsing Dr Pramod Sawant’s chief ministership. “If he is such a good chief minister, why is the Western Bypass not coming on stilts as demanded by Benaulim people and why is the Colva road still incomplete?” he asked.

He accused Churchill of looking after his personal interest and expressed surprise that today BJP needs support from Churchill the very man whom they castigated at one time and even had him arrested.

“What is happening today in Goa is nothing but an exposure of the total intellectual bankruptcy of the chief minister,” he said and added that instead of dismissing the comments made by the diaspora they should be considered seriously.

“I follow the social media and I take note of what Goans settled elsewhere are saying and they left Goa because the government here failed to provide them employment and hence they had to leave their motherland but this does not mean they do not love Goa,” he said.