PANJIM: Announcing withdrawal of support from the Pramod Sawant-led government in view of induction of 10 ex-Congress MLAs into BJP, former deputy chief minister Vijai Sardesai has said that ex-Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s legacy has been destroyed.
The Goa Forward Party (GFP) leader, who along with his party colleagues Jayesh Salgaonkar and Vinod Palyencar, and Independent Rohan Khaunte were asked to resign from the cabinet, accused the government of backstabbing the regional ally.
“Manohar Parrikar’s died twice, once on March 17 when he physically left us and the second death is today – his political death. These people (pointing at present set-up of the government) are up to finishing Parrikar’s legacy, but we will not allow it to happen,” Sardesai said in a joint press conference with the dejected MLAs, at Miramar where Parrikar’s last rites were performed.
Swearing by late Parrikar, GFP has decided to be a watchdog of the current dispensation while recalling on how the party stood by the government in its bad time as well. The press conference, which was addressed after a meeting with the GFP workers, saw all the three GFP MLAs unanimously stating “Ami Uttor Rakhlem”.
“GFP is a part of the NDA and we have been ditched. When? After you (government) brought in people (former Congress MLAs). We supported Parrikar. When he was unwell, Babush (Atanasio Monserrate) had approached me giving me a standing offer that if I join Congress, I would be made the CM. We stood by Parrikar and also the government in its challenging time,” he said adding, “In my meeting with Parrikar before his death, I had asked him what he plans to do next and he told me that we had formed this government for five years. Whether I (Parrikar) am there or not there, you (GFP) have to continue with the government.”
Recalling the 2017 elections when BJP’s tally had dropped to mere 13 from 21 in the 2012 assembly elections, Sardesai said that the State leaders like Pramod Sawant or Satish Dhond were not the part of discussion when GFP agreed to be the part of NDA under the circumstances of fractured mandate.
Claiming that since all the communication with him has the presence of central leadership, asking the GFP legislators to resign did not have any central leader speaking to him directly.
“Yesterday (Friday) CM called me on the phone and asked me to resign. I told him to let the central leadership tell me just like it happened before. Till today they are not ready to talk to me because they would be wondering how to justify backstabbing of NDA’s ally,” he said. “We have never backstabbed while protecting and taking forward Goem, Goenkar and Goenkarponn.”
With the present tally going up to 27 MLAs, Sardesai has asked the government to not resort to intimidating them. “Do not show ‘dadagiri.’ We don’t get scared. We will be the real and the original chowkidars. We will be the watchdogs of the people,” he said as his entire speech was filled with emotions and anger. “We did not form the party (GFP) to be in the government but we have always been ready to sit in the Opposition. We are naturally friendly to be in the Opposition, it is our category and while we were in the ruling, we ensured that people get justice,” he added. The minister also ridiculed Babush’s “homecoming” remark on joining the BJP claiming, he is a party hopper.
Former Revenue Minister Rohan Khaunte echoed Sardesai’s views as he also laid emphasis on how he too, as an Independent legislator stood by Parrikar.
“We fought against him (Parrikar) but when it came to formation of the government, we kept aside our personal differences and joined his team. We always remained grounded even after being escalated to cabinet rank,” Khaunte said while reeling off works accomplished and those taken up during his short tenure as minister for Revenue, Labour & Employment and IT.
“When Parrikar was unwell, we stood strong although many BJP MLAs were ready to jump to another party. We stood by him because he wanted to complete five years tenure, responsibility of which was given to us.”
Palyencar and Salgaonkar, who were also at the briefing, said they were hurt on the manner in which the present government treated their loyalty. “It is hurting that when we supported the government in its challenging time, this is the way we are treated. Nevertheless the people of Goa are watching,” Palyencar said.
A miffed Salgaonkar said he was never in favour of alliance with the government stating, “My personal view then was to not give support to the BJP. There are people (in the BJP) who are trained liars. I feel bad for the people, voters and the BJP workers who tirelessly worked for the party. There is no ideology left in the party.”
