Parrikar promises to deliver both LS seats to BJP
TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Promising that Goa would give the BJP both the parliamentary seats, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar asked the party prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi to grant the state special status to protect it unique identity. He also pushed for resumption of mining asking for a decision from the Centre so that mining can be restarted and promising that both the Lok Sabha seats will go to the BJP and Narendra Modi would become the prime minister of the country.
“There are two things that I make a request for,” the chief minister said pointing out that Goa has a small population – 14.5 lakh and 18-20 percent had come here.
“Therefore we need special status. We are not asking for money. We are asking for special status only for one reason, that is because we need to maintain our identity,” he said adding “A decision has to come from the Centre by which mining can restart and I am sure that you will do so.”
“And I am sure that both the seats will go to the BJP and you will become the prime minister of the country,” he told a packed crowd that had waited patiently to hear the BJP top leaders.
Thanking the Bandari Samaj for postponing their meet out of consideration for the BJP rally, he said that in December they would have an even bigger rally for the prime minister of the country, predicting that Modi would be the next prime minister.
He said that 24 months back the State had brought the BJP to power. He said that since coming to power they have fulfilled their promise by abolishing VAT on petrol; gave the Ladli lakshmi scheme to 12,500 girls; and implemented inflation allowance. Till date, he said, 1,00,000 married women are being given Rs 1000 per month as a direct subsidy to tied over the inflation; and 1,28,000 senior citizens and differently-abled are also given a subsidy.
“We faced 25% revenue loss… Despite that we have fulfilled promises…And within a year we have reached the original (amount) revenue despite the drop in revenue due to closure of mining,” he said even as he argued that there was a need for decisive leadership to take the country out of the ‘jam’ that it is in.
Earlier, Shripad Naik criticised the Centre for refusing to give the State a mining package even though it had earned lot from the mining industry. He also pushed for legal mining to start.
Deputy chief minister Francis d’ Souza criticised AAP calling it a child of the Congress and saying that as they are ruling in tandem in Delhi they should join hands and fight elections in the State.
Calling Modi the most capable prime ministerial candidate in the country, Alina said that people of Gujrat were happy and content with his administration.
“India desperately needs a change of government and only the BJP with Shri Modiji at the helm can move the country along the path of rapid development,” she said.
She also asked for special status for Goa under Article 371 of the Constitution criticisng both Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for not delivering on their assurances in this regard.
