Team Herald
MARGAO: Asserting that national political parties have destroyed Goa because they function at the whims and fancies of the High Command, Former minister Mickky Pacheco said Goa should be ruled by a regional party and that he was ready to govern Goa through a new regional political party, if necessary.
He said both the national parties, be it the Congress or the BJP, have miserably failed to give good governance to Goa or do anything good for Goa or Goans and hence said the time has come for all ethnic Goans to vote for a regional party.
“I am in talks with the United Goans Democratic Party and I have already spoken to Dr Jorson, Adv Anacleto and Adv Radharao in this regard,” he said adding that he would give the UGDP till the end of the present month to decide on his proposal.
Replying to a question he said he would launch a new political party if talks with UGDP fail.
“I have certain conditions including one that UGDP will go alone and not support or align with any party,” he said adding that he did not believe in the concept of “like minded party”. “There is no likeminded party for me. If you think like me then come and join me and strengthen me to defeat the national parties,” he said.
Mickky said his move is not only for the Lok Sabha elections but also for the assembly elections and pointed out that elections would be held in two assembly constituencies in any case. He said he would field candidate at the two by-elections and further said he would field candidates in all the 40 constituencies for the general assembly elections.
Asserting that politics is not for making money for him, he said all his assets were obtained before entering politics and that his assets are free for investigation by anybody. “I entered politics with Rs 47 crore and that is why the Income Tax department levied a Rs 17.5 crore tax on me,” he said.
He asserted that no corruption charge can be leveled against him as during the time he was a minister not a single file signed by him has been questioned or investigated. He said he has the experience of 15 years as a legislator and can use the same for the benefit of Goa and Goans.
He said Goa has to be ruled by Goans and not by someone born abroad claiming to be a Goan in what was apparently a dig at Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardessai who was born in Buenos Aires and has Goem, Goenkar and Goenkarponn as the slogan for his Goa Forward Party.
Appealing to all Goans to support him and his endeavor to protect Goan for Goans, he said it is time to reject the national political parties and their supporters.
