GUILHERME ALMEIDA
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s Rs 150 crore development package for Navelim, besides similar packages for Benaulim and Velim has thrown up a debatable question – whether constituencies represented by the supporting MLAs from Salcete, Avertano Furtado, Caitu Silva and Benjanim D’Silva have received more attention than others in the taluka.
The chief minister has firmly ruled out discrimination against any opposition represented constituency in Salcete. He sought to blame the opposition MLAs for not inviting him to their constituencies to discuss developmental works. But, just consider this. The chief minister had been shuttling between Panjim and Navelim-Velim-Benaulim ever since he took over the reins of office nearly two years ago. Apart from inspections, the chief minister had been closely monitoring the progress of development works proposed in these three constituencies, virtually on a monthly basis.
His detractors, however, say that the chief minister has not shown his presence in Curtorim or Nuvem, Margao or Fatorda a la Navelim or Benaulim and Velim. It has been pointed out that the chief minister has not descended in either Nuvem or Curtorim or Margao with a band of officials till date. Fatorda had also faced a similar situation before the chief minister approved the ongoing road widening work wroth Rs 5 crore, but opponents say that Parrikar has not displayed the same zeal and enthusiasm to address the pressing problems plaguing the commercial capital.
But, the chief minister has begged to differ. “There is no discrimination against any constituency or the opposition. I have not turned down any invitation from the MLAs to visit their constituencies to discuss developmental works,” Parrikar, while trying to push the blame on the MLAs for his failure to make his presence in some of the constituencies.
Vocal opponents of the chief minister — Nuvem MLA Mickky Pacheco and Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco — said it makes no difference whether the chief minister visits their constituencies or not, when there’s no delivery from the government. “The chief minister must have visited Navelim or Benaulim or Velim umpteen number of times, but has anything changed on the ground in these three constituencies. Against this backdrop, no purpose would have been served if the chief minister had visited Nuvem as well,” remarked MLA Mickky Pacheco.
His counterpart from Curtorim, Reginaldo Lourenco, echoed similar sentiments. “The chief minister’s visit to Navelim, Velim and Benaulim has not ushered in any development on the ground. Hence, his visits make no difference to Curtorim.”
Curtorim deputy Sarpanch J Santano Rodrigues, who called on the chief minister, with a host of developmental proposals, said the chief minister cannot ignore the constituencies represented by the opposition. “Parrikar has visited Navelim so many times, but has not come to Curtorim with officials to review developmental works,” he rued.
Constitutional lawyer and political observer, Adv Cleofato Coutinho said the chief minister is devoting more attention to Navelim, Velim and Benaulim simply because the MLAs are supporting his government. “In a way, the chief minister is rewarding those who have stood by him. This not only suits his political interests, but Parrikar tries to show that he is rewarding the people who stand behind his government,” Adv Coutinho added.
