TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: There was no politics over their presence at the football finals, claimed Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar at Navelim on Sunday.
But, at a time when the State
is bracing up for the general elections, Parrikar’s promise to groom footballers so that at least six Goans find a place in the national football team did help convey a message to the huge Sunday crowd for the football finals played at the Rosary grounds, Navelim this evening.
That’s not all. Parrikar was not alone at the finals. In an apparent show of strength, Parrikar made his presence felt at the finals organised by Navelim Sporting along with his deputy Francis D’Souza, Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado, Goa Vikas Party founder Mickky Pacheco and his MLA Caitu Silva, Independent MLA Benjamin D’Silva and BJP legislator Nilesh Cabral.
Neither Parrikar nor his deputy D’Souza spoke anything regarding politics, but their very presence, local political observers said, was enough to send the message to the football loving people. Sources said the whopping cash prize for the winners and the runners-up has been sponsored by the Goan Seamen Association of India (GSAI), which has already pledged its support to the BJP candidate.
When the Chief Minister was walking out of the ground, he told Herald that there’s no politics behind his presence.
“I do not want a football final or sports for party’s propaganda. I love football and I myself was a footballer. Hence, I feel that football in Goa undergoes a change so that at least six Goans find a place in India’s football team”, he added.
