Damu, Vijay turn the heat on hot-mixing at Borda road

Damu, Vijay turn the heat on hot-mixing at Borda road
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, APRIL 12
They jostled in full public view to claim credit for the commissioning of the road hot mixing work at Borda-Fatorda on Monday morning. In the end, both BJP MLA Damu Naik and Congress general secretary Vijay Sardessai broke the sacred coconut separately for the same work in the presence of PWD Minister, Churchill Alemao.
Caught in the crossfire was the PWD Minister, who had to oblige his close aide Sardessai and also take into account the sentiments of the BJP MLA. Alemao and the BJP MLA were reportedly involved in a war of words after Naik questioned him for his decision to inaugurate the hot mixing work in the presence of Sardessai.
The incident occurred this morning at Borda meters away from the St Joaquim Chapel. The GPCC general secretary Sardessai along with his band of ruling Councilors descended at the venue and was waiting for the arrival of Alemao to commission the work.
On the other hand, Naik along with his supporters stationed himself meters away from the site, and was eagerly waiting for the presence of Alemao for the commissioning of the hot mixing work.
Questioning Sardessai’s presence at the site, Naik wondered how the GPCC general secretary could claim credit for the work when all the homework was done by him. “Let Sardessai do the spade work and take credit, I have no problem. You just cannot come on the scene and take credit for the work”, he said.
Naik later told Herald that the financial sanction and other procedure was completed by the PWD officials after persistent follow-up with the department. “Any educated person can go to the file and see who has followed up the work with the Chief Minister and other officials”, he said.
During the war of words with the PWD Minister, the Fatorda MLA sought to know from Alemao what politics is going in his Fatorda constituency. “I told Alemao that I am the MLA representing Fatorda. I am not a defeated candidate”, he said.
Sardessai, on the other hand, later said the commencement of work shows the Congress government is responsive to the aspirations of the common people. “The MLA, who is in the habit of usurping credit for any development that occurs in Fatorda needs to answer the people of Fatorda why he was responsible for stopping the construction of a Balwadi to cater to the needs of the poor students at Marlem in Borda”, he said.
Sardessai said the people of Fatorda are well aware who is initiating development in the constituency and who is ruling the state. My role in helping the poor and the needy in Fatorda by using my good offices with Chief Minister and PWD Minister cannot be erased by such petty gimmicks of the MLA of trying to falsely claim credit for development and gain cheap publicity in the bargain”, he added.