Team Herald
MARGAO: High voltage drama unfolded on Saturday on the day of scrutiny of nominations in Margao after TMC Fatorda candidate Adv Seoula Vaz and TMC party leader Saket Gokhale objected to the nomination papers of Goa Forward Party (GFP) candidate Vijai Sardesai during the time of scrutiny.
However, the objections were cleared and Sardesai’s nomination form was accepted after a lengthy hearing conducted by the Returning Officer (RO).
Objections against nomination forms of AAP Fatorda candidate Sandesh Talekar and Congress Nuvem candidate Aleixo Sequeira were also cleared by the RO.
Speaking to Herald, RO for Fatorda and Margao constituencies Prasad Volvoikar said that his office had received two separate objections from TMC against Sardesai and also against AAP candidate Talekar.
“After lengthy hearings both the objections were dismissed and nomination papers of both were accepted,” he said.
Fatorda TMC candidate Vaz had filed an objection against Sardesai pertaining to pending of dues to the Margao Municipality. However, upon the notice of the RO, GFP submitted the dues clearance certificate.
A second complaint was filed by Saket S Gokhale, National Spokesperson, All India Trinamool Congress alleging that there is no clarification or any element explaining how his (Sardesai’s) spouse with a declared income of Rs 66 lakh from 2015-2021 was able to lend out personal loans to the tune of Rs 5.2 crore.
“There is clearly a massive mismatch in Vijai Sardesai’s 2022 affidavit when it comes to the income of his spouse and the personal loans given out by her,” Saket stated in the complaint.
Saket had urged for disqualification of Sardesai from contesting. Speaking to the media persons Dilip Prabhudesai, office bearer of the GFP said that such types of objections are clear indications that they want to defeat Sardesai and make way for the BJP.
“Why isn’t the TMC fielding candidate in Sanquelim? They have no interest in defeating Dr Pramod Sawant. The second objection raised by Saket Gokhale came via email and that too after the deadline of filing the objections was over,” he said.
He further said that only the alliance of GFP and Congress can defeat BJP.
AAP’s Talekar said that Vas had filed objections against him alleging that he had not paid the dues to the Municipality.
“Sandesh Talekar’s nomination form was accepted as the complainant did not turn up for the hearing,” the RO said.
On the other hand Franky D’mello from Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) also filed objections before Ramesh Gaonkar, Returning Officer for Nuvem constituency, alleging that Congress candidate Aleixo Sequeira is a Portuguese national.
After receiving the objection, RO asked the complainant to produce the necessary documents to prove the allegation, but NCP members failed to do so.
