TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The enthusiasm of Congress workers and the turnout for their public meetings seems to be increasing by the day. Even the people not aligned to the Congress party for various reasons earlier, seem to be onboard to join the band wagon to get Reginaldo elected from South Goa. The most common comment of these people being, “Reginaldo is a very good human being. His simplicity and clean image is what appeals to us. We are sure he is well qualified to be an MP and represent South Goa”.
Addressing a massive rally in Curchorem which belongs to BJP’s Nilesh Cabral, hundreds of people came out in support of the Congress candidate, claiming that the state government has not done anything to help them from their deteriorating condition due to the closure of mining. People said they are fed up with the government and this time they will support a candidate who has proved his mettle on the floor of the Assembly.
Present at the meeting was Congress candidate Reginaldo Lourenco, Independent MLA Vijai Sardesai, Ex MLA from Curchorem Shyam Satardekar, UGDP Vice President Radharao Gracias, MLA from Quepem Babu Kavlekar, Ex MLA Domnic Fernandes, Congress Leaders Saifulla Khan and Sankalp Amonkar,Ex Block President and Councillor Manohar Naik, Goemkar member Prashant Naik, Prominent doctor and columnist Dr. Babita Angle amongst others.
Addressing the gathering to a loud roar, Candidate Reginaldo Lourenco thanked the people for coming out in large numbers in his support despite threats by the BJP members from the area. He said he knows the people will help him get a lead this time around unlike the past elections, and convey their message to the state govt that they are not happy with the governance of the state. He spoke on the mining mess and said that when the CM was the Leader of opposition, he spoke vociferously in favour of closure of mining, and even after the BJP came to power in the state, the CM had clearly stated on National television at an award function that it was he who stopped mining a month before the Honorable Supreme Court’s order. Reginald lamented that it was the CM himself to blame for this economic situation in state. Reginaldo further said that no department of the state govt is functioning properly since his dictatorial rule is affecting the productivity of govt workers too, who are unhappy with the functioning of the state machinery.
Independent MLA Vijai Sardesai gave statistics how 1lakh 30thousand families are directly or in directly dependent on mining in Goa. He questioned the ability of a BJP to restart mining in the state when Modi himself had stopped mining operation at almost 65 mines in Orissa over the river Baitrani. He said that Modi himself had insisted on the implementation of the Shah Commission and it is mysterious as to how the BJP or Modi in general would help in restarting mining in the state. He questioned the move of the sitting MLA from Curchorem to shift the Sonsoddo dump from Margao to Curchorem. Sardesai joked that when people from Margao want to shift the dump to some place on the outskirts, Cabral was welcome to bringing the same garbage dump in Curchorem. Sardesai said that Cabral wants to implement a state of the art mix garbage dump in Curchorem, whereas it has been internationally proven that such a dump cannot be implemented in Goa. He further added that Curchorem has the potential to chose a leader of their own to represent them , and will not need an imported MLA in their their constituency. He also said that BJP practices the concept of fear psychosis, which is dangerous and people will not fall prey to such threats. He further said that he had received many complaints that the members of the ruling parties issue threats to the people that the schemes would be discontinued if they support the congress, however Sardesai congratulated the crowd for not giving to these threats and coming out in huge numbers for the meeting.
