CUMBARJUA : All India Trinamool Congress Party (AITC) National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Thursday launched a scathing attack at the BJP and Congress at two rallies held in Cumbarjua and Aldona constituencies.
Raising his pitch, Banerjee reminded the people of the ‘big betrayal’ of 2017. He said, “Every MLA you voted for sold their souls for Rs 50 crore. Everyone in Goa is aware of this fact. On average, there are about 20,000-25,000 votes per constituency. So, you can calculate for yourself. One vote for them costs Rs 20,000. Your vote, your trust, your faith, your love, your blessings, your honour is being sold by both the BJP and the Congress for a meager Rs 20,000.”
Banerjee added, “What happened with you all in 2017 has never happened in any other State in these 50 years. You voted for Congress, you had rejected the BJP. But the Congress played with the love and trust of the people of Goa. The buying and selling politics must stop in Goa. The time has come for you to vote for clean politics, vote for TMC. Voting any other party except Trinamool Congress is equal to voting the BJP which in turn means the defeat of Goa.”
Ripping the ‘double
engine sarkar’ argument of the BJP, he said, “Double engine, in reality, means double loot. The loot of resources that is happening in Goa and another loot of the national exchequer that is happening in Delhi. Because of the double engine disaster, youth in Goa have to pay close to Rs 20 lakh to land themselves a decent job,” he added.
Elaborating on the promises made by Goa TMC, Banerjee said, “When we say that we will give Rs 5000 to a woman in every household through the Griha Laxmi scheme, we mean every word of it. Today, I throw open a challenge to anyone in the BJP. If and when the BJP can prove that their welfare schemes are better than the welfare schemes in Bengal, the same day I will quit politics.”
Highlighting how the BJP was misusing power against TMC, Banerjee stated, “Ever since the TMC has come to Goa, the Enforcement Directorate at the behest of BJP has summoned me 8-10 times. But I am standing here and I give you my word that no matter how much the BJP tries to intimidate us, we will not bow down. Till the time I am alive, till the time blood is flowing through my veins, I will continue to fight for your rights.”
At Aldona while campaigning for TMC president Kiran Kandolkar, Banerjee made an appeal to the people, “I request all my brothers and sisters sitting here and across Goa that if the BJP offers you money, please take it because it is your money. But remember to vote for TMC (Don Fula). Time has come to do to the BJP what they did to you in 2017. Give them a reply in a language that they understand well. Show BJP the power of democracy. Only when both the BJP and Congress betrayed themselves is when they will realise what it means to break someone’s trust.”
