PORVORIM: Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai on Wednesday took a dig at Congress over-cross voting for the Presidential elections held last week and Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate’s entry into Goa Forward Party (GFP).
“There was a surgical strike on July 20 (when the Presidential election result was announced) and next day we voted for Rajya Sabha seat. Congress had to import an observer from Maharashtra to keep their votes intact during the RS election, even after which there was cross-voting and after what happened yesterday, you can imagine what would happen to your party,” he said during a motion to congratulate BJP Goa President Vinay Tendulkar for being elected to the Upper House of the Parliament.
His attack on the Congress continued even as Leader of the Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar sought Speaker Pramod Sawant’s intervention to stop him from making such statements during the congratulatory motion.
“I am going to promise the people of Goa that we are not interested in getting any more of your MLAs in the party. This is a solemn assurance to the people of Goa that we will not split the Congress Legislature Party further. We will win over the heart of people of Goa by our performance. Congress is splitting right from the time your MLAs took the oath. Feel happy that we are assuring that we will not split you,” he said.
The minister, who is upset over allegations made by AICC Secretary and Goa desk in charge Chellakumar that he wanted to topple the government when Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar was in US, lashed out at the party over false statements.
“A former PCC president had said that the Congress observer comes wearing ‘lungi’ in the morning and goes to disco wearing jeans. The observers are making false statements that I was trying to topple the government. The problem of Congress party is that they are not serious and they are facing decision-making paralysis,” he said.
“The party has become grandfathers’ club. You have made so much money that even your grandchildren will survive on this,” he further alleged. “Tell your observer that stability of our government is from day one and we will run this government for five years. One day Congress will merge into ruling,” he remarked. The Speaker then intervened asking the minister to stop making further statements.
Monserrate’s entry into GFP on Tuesday had left the Opposition shell shocked as it was in talks with him to contest the Panjim by-polls on Congress ticket.
