TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2024
Team Herald
The candidates of INDIA Bloc for North and South Goa, Ramakant Khalap and Captain Viriato Fernandes officially filed their nomination for the upcoming 2024 elections. The nomination filing witnessed a strong show of support from all partners of the INDIA alliance, alongside a large gathering of supporters.
Earlier today addressing the public before Captain Viriato Fernandes filed his nomination in Margao, Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao emphasized the significance of the upcoming election, framing it as a battle between money power and people's power. Alemao voiced confidence in Fernandes, stating that he would not only be a voice for the people of Goa but also for the entire nation.
Vijai Sardesai responded to Pallavi Dempo's recent remarks on unemployment, highlighting the pressing issues of joblessness, inflation, the Mhadei dispute, and electricity bills. He urged Goans to support the INDIA alliance candidate, emphasizing the need for change.
In his remarks after filing the nomination, Captain Viriato Fernandes emphasized that his candidacy represented the aspirations and struggles of every segment of society. He spoke about the plight of the unemployed youth, households facing inflation, and women grappling with hardships. Fernandes stressed that his nomination symbolized a collective effort to address these challenges and bring about positive change.
Responding to questions about his assets, Fernandes highlighted the true wealth of the community, including farmers, fishermen, taxi drivers, unemployed youth, and hardworking women. While these constituents may not have been explicitly listed in his election affidavit due to time constraints, Fernandes affirmed his commitment to serving the community.
Afterward, congressmen and leaders of the INDIA alliance converged in Panjim, where Senior politician Advocate Ramakath Khalap submitted his nomination. While addressing the people, Khalap said for the past 25 years, the voice of North Goa has remained silent in the Lok Sabha, but today marks the beginning of a new chapter. As we launched our campaign in North Goa, the resounding chorus of support from the people has been overwhelming. Their words, ‘Bhai, we stand with you,' speak volumes about the victory that awaits us.
Khalap confidently reaffirmed his inevitable victory and said that I am heartened to see individuals from diverse backgrounds—caste, creed, and religion—uniting in solidarity. With immense confidence, I anticipate securing victory in this election with a substantial margin of 40 to 50 thousand votes”.
