Team Herald
PANJIM: The Congress on Wednesday expressed confidence of winning the February 4 Assembly elections with a thumping majority despite a ‘dirty political game plan’ of the BJP by way of supporting Independent candidates in a bid to divide the secular votes.
“There is a strong anti-BJP wave in the State. The people of Goa are ready to reject communal forces that are making efforts to destroy the secular and harmonious nature of the State,” Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Luizinho Faleiro told media persons.
Faleiro said that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), along with a few Independent candidates and regional parties have been sponsored by the BJP to split the secular votes and gain a backdoor entry to power.
“There are dirty tricks being played by BJP by way of supporting Independent candidates directly or through some regional parties to divide the Congress votes. Congress is facing this in many constituencies. BJP has realised that they have lost credibility,” he said.
“Irrespective of all this, Congress is confident of forming the next government on its own. We expect a thumping majority this election,” Faleiro said.
The GPCC president and former Chief Minister was speaking in the presence of three other former Chief Ministers – Pratapsingh Rane, Ravi Naik and Digambar Kamat – who are all candidates in the poll.
Reacting to the allegations levied by Goa Forward, that the GPCC president is hand-in-glove with BJP to help then retain power, Faleiro termed them ‘baseless’ and said, “The decision to contest 37 seats was not my individual one but a collective decision of the party.”
“This divisive regional force has fielded or backed a candidate against me (Navelim), in Velim, in Saligao, etc. What does this mean?” he countered. “Unity is the strength of the Congress party and we don’t believe in settings. We are making all efforts to oust BJP,” Faleiro added.
He said that during their extensive election campaign and padyatra, the party saw the people’s anger against the misrule of the BJP. “Five years ago, the BJP came to power with tall promises of parivartan, of making Goa casino free, drugs free, recovery of Rs 35,000 crore mining loot, zero-tolerance to corruption, scrapping of Regional Plan 2021, etc. However, what we got in return was U-turns and empty promises,” he stated.
The party President said that Congress, in its election manifesto, has made realistic promises and assures to implement the same in toto.
During the media briefing, while Rane laid emphasis on health sector, Kamat focused on the hurriedly approved outline development plans and non-completion of south Goa district hospital.
Naik questioned MGP leaders, Sudin Dhavalikar, Deepak Dhavalikar and Lavoo Mamledar, who were part of the BJP government and their support to the controversial amendments to Agricultural Tenancy and Mundkar Act. “Now MGP promises to scrap those amendments. I want to know why they supported the amendment. Why did they not oppose it?” he asked. “MGP is fooling people for votes,” he added.
