PANJIM: TMC Goa’s bid for the 2022 Assembly elections got a second major boost on Saturday. Former Tivim MLA Kiran Kandolkar and Colvale ZP Member Kavita Kandolkar joined the TMC, at a press conference at Dona Paula. Sarpanchas, Panchas and supporters from Tivim and Aldona constituencies also joined TMC.
Saying he was impressed with the vision of TMC and how Mamata Banerjee fought against PM Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the West Bengal elections, Kiran Kandolkar said he walked out of Goa Forward Party, of which he was working president, since the party is hobnobbing with the Congress for alliance in Aldona constituency – a seat he wants to contest Assembly elections from.
Newly joined TMC leader Kiran Kandolkar said there is no clarity on alliance in Aldona. He stated that on Friday, Congress election in-charge P Chidambaram went canvassing in Aldona. “At any cost I will contest in Aldona. I don’t want to fool the people of Aldona,” he said. The people of Aldona have told him to walk out of Goa Forward and contest on any ticket, he declared.
Lashing out at the Congress, Kiran Kandolkar said Congress is not serious of sending the BJP home in 2022. BJP has to be sent home in 2022. Goans are serious, but Congress is not serious, Kandolkar stated. He also hit out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal who is promising freebies. He said they are not talking against Modi. TMC looks to be the most serious to send BJP home, he added.
“My workers and I were discussing that Congress gives tickets at the last minute, giving no time to its candidates to canvass in their constituencies. TMC looks to be the most serious to send BJP home. TMC will form next govt in Goa,” Kiran asserted.
Speaking to the media after his joining ceremony along with his supporters, he said he had left Goa Forward, not because of its president Vijai Sardesai. He said he had told Sardesai that he wanted both seats of Tivim and Aldona. “Now there are talks of alliance (with Congress). I had told Vijai Sardesai that I want both seats of Aldona and Tivim,” he reiterated.
Reacting to the sudden and totally unexpected turn of events the working president of Goa Forward, Sardesai said, “I wish him luck. He probably had a doubt whether he and his wife would both be given tickets in an alliance. He’s an experienced politician and he must have given it thought. I gave him respect and was confident that winnable candidates would always get tickets but since he has taken his decision, so there’s no use debating that.”
On persistent media questions on TMC not announcing its candidate in Aldona, TMC National Vice President Luizinho Faleiro said, “New rays (Kiran) had dawned, and canvassing in Aldona would begin from tomorrow(Sunday).”
Kavita Kandolkar, ZP Member and wife of Kiran, said, “TMC chairperson Mamata Didi works for women and we will get an opportunity to work for women in Goa.”
Tivim Sarpach Sharmila Gadekar, Nanoda Sarpanch Vishwaja Haldankar, Assonora Sarpanch Kavlekar, Revora Sarpanch Rahul Phadte, Revora Dy sarpanch Shamina Naik and many other panchayat members and supporters from Aldona and Tivim joined the TMC along with Kiran Kandolkar.
