MARGAO: In charge of Congress Fatorda Block Dr Ashish Kamat while asserting that there was no alliance between the Congress Party and Goa Forward Party for the Margao Municipal Council elections, said Congress has fielded candidates in Fatorda Assembly Constituency.
“What has happened is an arrangement between Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat as MLA representing Margao, Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, Congress MLA representing Curtorim and Vijai Sardessai the MLA of Fatorda,” he said while pointing out that this was an agreement between individuals where the party is not involved.
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“I had informed the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Girish Chodankar in advance about Fatorda Block fielding candidates because we want to keep the Congress alive in this constituency,” he said while lamenting that in the last 20 years the Congress has been nowhere in the picture in this constituency which was once its bastion.
Fatorda Congress Block President Piedade Fernandes disclosed the names of the six Congress candidates in the fray and they are Fatima Barreto in Ward No 3, Jessy Sandra Vas in Ward No 4, Nagvenkar Yogesh Arvind in Ward No 6, Roshal Fernandes in Ward No 9, Kamat Rajat Luma in Ward No 10 and Sayed Anwar Babulal in Ward No 11.
Dr Aashish pointed out that the GPCC President Girish Chodankar along with Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat had said that local leaders would decide about alliance or how to contest the municipal elections and asserted that the Margao MLA does not become the local leader of Fatorda.
“The Fatorda Block is the local leadership of Congress and we were not consulted about this agreement,” he said while disclosing that when he came to know about it he had asked Digambar Kamat to ensure that Vijai Sardesai resigns from the National Democratic Alliance.
“How can a senior member of the Congress Party that is heading the United Progressive Alliance have an alliance with a member of the National Democratic Alliance,” he said while pointing out that Vijai continues to be a member of the NDA.
Dr Aashish while admitting that it was an agreement between Digambar, Aleixo and Vijai lamented that the Goa Forward Party has launched a campaign on social media making it look like an alliance between the Congress and Goa Forward Party which he said he objects to.
Trajan D’Mello of Congress Party said, “The Fatorda Block has to contest the elections to keep the party alive in the constituency as next year will be time to contest the Assembly elections and alleged that there was a conspiracy to finish the Congress not only in Fatorda but also in Curtorim Constituency.”
While stating that he would be asking the Central party leaders to take action against the two MLAs for having an agreement with a member of the NDA, D’Mello said that it was apparent that Aleixo would not be contesting on the Congress ticket the upcoming elections and added that Digambar is just waiting to go to that party.
Trajan said, “A lot of money will be poured in Fatorda during the municipal elections and asked all investigating authorities to keep a strict watch in the area to ensure that free and fair elections are held and expressed confidence that the Congress Block in Fatorda will be the change that Fatorda is looking for.
