MARGAO: On the sidelines of the Assonora Premier League, Goa Forward Party President (GFP) Vijai Sardesai spoke to media persons and said, “Opposition unity is much needed to defeat the anti-Goenkar government led by Pramod Sawant.”
He added that he isn’t a front runner for the Chief Minister’s post and reiterated that he will work his best to form a united political opposition to send the BJP government home.
Speaking on the Zilla Panchayat (ZP) elections, Sardesai said, “The results clearly indicate that few Congress leaders had participated in match-fixing with the BJP.”
Sardesai said that GFP took a decision not to contest the ZP elections as it considered it to be an inconsequential election.
“Pramod Sawant is celebrating 60th Goa Liberation Day by spending Rs 100 crore by bringing in artistes from outside Goa, but he allocated peanuts for the development work to be carried out by the Zilla Panchayat in the State,” Sardesai added.
He also claimed that the party’s removal from the government was for Sawant to facilitate extra coal transport and allow railway double tracking. Sardesai added that the GFP was a pressure lobby within the government. “They got rid of us to expedite the sale of Goa on a fast track,” quipped Sardesai.
The GFP chief also added that the party would surely contest civic polls if it is held on party lines. Sardesai said, “Let the government decide whether they want to hold the municipality elections on party lines. We are ready to fight on party lines. Goa Forward has always sought to unite and promote all the communities together.”
He added, “We have made two Bahujan Samaj MLAs ministers even before they could take oath as MLAs and noted that the Margao municipality never had a Bhandari as a chairperson, until the party promoted Pooja Naik to be Goa’s youngest female candidate to chair the Margao municipality.” Sardesai asserted that GFP will give due representation to all the communities in Goa pointing to Kavita Kandolkar as the candidate for Tivim constituency.
He added that presently, the various communities, NGOs, and opposition political parties are fighting independently against the government’s actions over double-tracking, coal handling, expansion of MPT, Mollem forest destruction, and Mhadei. Sardesai asked, “Why don’t we all join hands together in the interest of the state, if all are against these issues? The farmers in North India have shaken the majority government led by Narendra Modi, by putting up a united front. Why cannot there be a unity in Goa?”
On that note, he elaborated, “We have to be united! As the people’s political and social representatives this is our moral responsibility to preserve our democracy. We must unite to strengthen our voices, irrespective if we are Congress, AAP, or any other party. If you believe in fighting for the defence of Goa’s people, culture, heritage, environment and youth – I am opening my arms to you to unite.”
The GFP chief said, “As Team Goa, we can defeat Team BJP. This is our final shot to save Goa now. This is a penalty shootout situation. We must focus all our energy, all our determination and all our willpower to get this Goal right. This is a final match for all Goenkars and united together we can win it.”
Sardesai hesitated to comment on the internal structure of the Congress but mentioned that as a former Congress member, he feels bad to see the current state of Congress in Goa, as his political birth was from the Congress.
“I was the Youth Congress president and also served as general secretary of GPCC for many years,” he continued.
When reporters questioned Sardesai on the trust deficit against GFP, the former Deputy Chief Minister replied saying, “It’s a mindset of a selective few who hobby to target Goa Forward.”
He added, “If there was a trust deficit why did the people of Colvale ZP constituency give Kavita Kandolkar a comprehensive victory with a lead of 2079 votes? If there is a trust deficit against Goa Forward Party everyone in Goa knows that Kavita’s husband is Kiran Kandolkar who has joined Goa Forward and is the working president of the party and therefore she should have lost the election,” argued Sardesai.
