Team Herald
PANJIMVALPOI: Congress candidates Girish Chodankar and Roy Naik filed their nomination for the August 23 by-elections from Panjim and Valpoi Assembly constituencies, respectively, on Friday.
Chodankar, All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary and the member of Rahul Gandhi’s core team to guide the affairs of the National Students Union of India (NSUI) will face BJP candidate, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.
Chodankar, accompanied by Goa desk in-charge Dr Chellakumar, State unit President Shantaram Naik, Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco and others, filed his nomination papers before the Returning Officer.
Speaking to media persons after the nominations, the AICC leader said that Congress has given the people of Panjim an opportunity to express their anger against Parrikar and his government’s failure by defeating him in the ensuing election.
“There is kind of frustration amongst people against Parrikar and his U-turn politics. BJP formed the government against the people’s mandate and that has upset the people,” he said.
Claiming the party will win in Panjim and Valpoi, Chodankar said, “We will win both seats and our tally will go up to 18. With the defeat of the Chief Minister, the government will topple. We will stake claim to form the government after that.”
The Congress candidate said his honesty and sincerity are the weapons he will use to fight Parrikar, who has been representing Panjim for over 20 years. “I know I am not from Panjim but I have faith in Panjim voters that this time they will punish Parrikar for his failures and U-turns,” he said.
Shifting of offshore casinos vessels from River Mandovi, solution of garbage issue, cleaning and beautification of St Inez creek, traffic management policy, are some of the priorities Chodankar has listed out in Panjim.
Meanwhile, Roy was accompanied by senior party leaders Ravi Naik, Shantaram Naik, Pratima Coutinho, Swati Kerkar, Goa Congress Desk in charge Chella Kumar and around 200 Congress workers.
After filing his nomination, Roy Naik said that there was no doubt that he would win the Valpoi by-poll. “I have visited all the remote villages of Valpoi constituency, where there is no development; people are facing the problem of water shortage, bad roads and no streetlights. After my election, my first priority is the development of Valpoi constituency,” Roy said.
Ravi Naik said that there has been no development in Valpoi constituency in past 10 years and whatever development was done in the constituency was done by him during his tenure.
