Says NCP can field candidates in all 40 seats, form next govt
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, DEC 12
Sending a message loud and clear to the Congress leadership not to take the NCP for granted, NCP MLA Mickky Pacheco has asserted that he and the party has the capacity to field candidates in all the 40 constituencies and form the next government if the Congress don’t want to have any truck with the Sharad Pawar-led party in Goa.
In another development, president of the Goa unit of the NCP Prof Surendra Sirsat publicly declared at Betalbatim that the party’s national and State leadership would stand solidly behind Pacheco at all times.
Addressing thousands of his supporters at the Betalbatim football grounds on Sunday on the occasion of his birthday celebrations, Pacheco made it loud and clear that the NCP can go alone in the next hustings and form the government with the love and support of the Goan people. “If the Congress continues saying they will go alone in the coming polls, the NCP is also ready to go alone in the hustings. I have the capacity and if the NCP leadership is with me, we can field candidates in all the 40 seats and form the next government”, Pacheco thundered at the Betalbatim grounds amidst cheers from his supporters.
Saying that there are many parties in Goa, including the Congress, BJP and NCP which would fight the coming polls, Pacheco said the NCP can also field candidates in all the 40 Assembly constituencies.
Profusely thanking the people of Goa for rallying behind him in the last seven months when politicians harassed him on trumped up charges, Pacheco said “you have stood by me when I needed you the most. I promise you that I will give a good government in the next five years if you continue to repose your trust in me”.
Without taking any names, the Benaulim MLA said he has been harassed and humiliated by the politicians in the last seven months. “Three different agencies have raided me in the last six months. My accounts stand frozen for the last six months to cripple me financially. But, these politicians are not aware of the fact that Mickky will not be shaken up if they freeze the account for the next 10 years”, he added.
Referring to the large number of his supporters at the birthday celebrations, Pacheco said “one would find many self-proclaimed mass leaders in Goa. I don’t want to be called a mass leader despite this huge assembly of people”, and added that the people of Goa stood behind him when he was implicated and put behind bars.
In his address, Prof Surendra Sirsat told Pacheco’s supporters would stand by the Benaulim MLA in the future and urged the Congress leadership to help and assist the former Tourism Minister in executing development projects. “We will stand by Pacheco. The party is aware of his helping nature. The National as well as State leadership of the NCP is fully supporting Pacheco”, he added.
Sirsat made the announcement when senior UGDP leaders Adv Radharao Gracias attacked the NCP leadership for their failure to stand by Mickky when the Congress framed him on false charges. “NCP leaders did not back up Pacheco when artificial charges were slapped on the MLA by the Chief Minister and other leaders. The NCP leadership made Pacheco the scapegoat”, Radharao said, adding that the NCP leadership is incapable to run the party affairs.
Touching on the Nadia Torrado death case, Radharao said the death is a clear cut of suicide, adding that the Benaulim MLA would be discharged from the case for want of any evidence.
The former Tourism Minister was felicitated by Bollywood stars Riya Sen and Amrita Rao.
Save Goa Front leader Antonio Gaonkar, NCP Goa coordinator Praful Hede, NCP leaders Avinash Bhosale and Ghatte, ZP members Nelly Rodrigues and Domnic Gaonkar were amongst others who spoke on the occasion.
Congress leaders, South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha and Calangute MLA Agnelo Fernandes besides BJP MLA Dayanand Mandrekar made their presence felt at the felicitation function for some time.
