MARGAO: A group of 13 NGOs on Saturday hailed the arrangement between the MLAs for Margao Municipal Council elections and termed it as the need of hour while urging all the Opposition forces to unite so that the “ruthless” Bharatiya Janata Party can be kept out of power in the State.
Vikas Bhagat recalled that on the Goa Opinion Poll Day on January 16, this year the NGOs had gathered under the banner of “Goenkar – Ek Pavl Ekcharachem” along with representatives of different political parties calling for an united Opposition to the BJP.
He said since then there has been good floor combination in the Assembly and the BJP has been floored time and again and added that this united approach is needed to be maintained and taken to the logical conclusion when elections are held next year. He said the Swabhiman experiment in Curchorem civic election humbled the arrogant Power Minister Nilesh Cabral and expressed confidence that the same will happen in Margao where two Congress MLAs have joined hands with a Goa Forward Party MLA to keep the BJP out.
Olencio Simoes of Goenchea Raponkarancho Ekvott said, “The present government was totally dictatorial and recalled how governments in the past in keeping with the democratic tradition accepted the people’s demand and cancelled projects like the SEZ and even shut down Zuari factory. Creson Antao, Freddy Travasso, Shankar Polgi, Jack Fernandes and Joy D’Silva representing different NGOs addressed the media persons, with all them stressing the need for a united fight against the BJP.
“There will be some who will oppose an alliance of the Opposition forces and these elements are only agents of the BJP,” he said.
Vikas thanked Sidhanath Buyao for coming out openly in support of the agreement by the three MLAs in the interest of keeping the BJP at bay and asked others to follow his example.
Replying to a question, he said Vijai Sardesai has admitted his mistake of aligning with the BJP and said he will quit the NDA at the appropriate time.
