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PANJIM: Speaking at a well attended meeting organized by Vijai Sardesai’s Goemkar outfit, UGDP Vice-President Radharao Gracias came in all guns blazing to declare that he will support Reginaldo Lourenco in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. He however maintained that he is not a Congress supporter, however is helping the candidate because he believes that Reginaldo is a worthy candidate and deserves to win in order to defeat the communal agenda of the BJP plaguing our state in general and country at large. He hit out at CM Parrikar, for being anti- Goan in not just the Ruby Residency case, but also the Tarun Tejpal case. He explained that only the Goan officers are arrested for the unfortunate Ruby Residency incident and the builders who were non Goan, were let go scot free. He rebuked that the entire Ruby saga has been abruptly hushed up by the state govt. In the Tarun Tejpal rape case too, the state govt has decided to expedite the procedure by allowing the case to be fast tracked. He however questioned whether justice will ever be done to Goans, whose cases are not being heard for years due to the slow judicial procedures.
Also present on the dais was NCP spokesperson Trajano D’Mello who doesn’t shy from taking every opportunity to blast a fury at the ruling party and the CM. Ex-MLA Fatorda, Luis Alex Cardozo who said he has been in the Congress party for 37 years, been an MLA for three terms and knows Sardinha and Churchill to be selfish leaders, who have only been working for selfish gains, and never in the interest of the people or party. Eminent cardiologist, Dr Francisco Colaco, who said that in all past elections the people had to chose between the lesser two evils, but his time around we had a clear choice to vote for Reginaldo, who is a clean candidate with no baggage.
Local MLA Vijai Sardesai, who was welcomed to a huge roar by his supporters, took pot shots at the State BJP govt and other leaders. He explained to his supporters that he has decided to support Reginaldo.
He reminded the people that he won in Fatorda on the issue of ‘Swabhiman’. He further atoned that his Shrikrishna Vijayotsav and Carnival festival was stopped by the police at the behest of the BJP and that he does not want to stay neutral this election, because he cannot afford to sacrifice his self respect. He appealed to his voters that the concept of ‘Ekvott- Ek Vote’ was to unite all the secular and neutral persons who value democracy and cast their vote for Reginaldo. He lamented that Churchill who earlier accused the Church and EVMs for his defeat, by contesting on a Tirnamool Congress ticket, will be getting priests and EVMs from Bengal to help him win this time. He also said that none of the candidates, independent or from other party banners, in the run up to the elections has ever raised their voice against the BJP, nor has the BJP candidate said anything about them, that clearly exposes the ‘setting’ between the BJP and these candidates. Lastly he appealed to the voters to vote for Reginaldo, and to show the communal forces that in a democracy ‘The voter is King’.
Lastly speaking to the supporters was Congress candidate Reginaldo Lourenco, who was grateful that the people of Fatorda for extending their support and said he will never forget the warm welcome he received. He explained to them about the various works he will undertake if elected. He maintained his stand that Dabolim should remain the lone airport of Goa. He said he will vouch for 33% women reservation, better women security laws, job oriented- public industries to benefit the youth and various other schemes that will benefit all sections of society.
Also present on the dais were P Agnelo (youth activist), Damodar Adpaikar (Margao Shigmotsav Committee), Monica Dias (All India Mahila Congress) Prashant Naik (member, Goemkar) Mohammed Nisar Shubedar (Social Worker), Prasad Lolienkar (Social Activist), Dr Babita Angle (noted doctor and writer) and others.