MARGAO: Promising to retain the heritage culture of Ward No 10 in Margao, Goa Forward Party (GFP) President Vijai Sardesai cautioned the people against voting for the candidate sponsored by the Bharatiya Janata Party, who he said, is likely to be jailed.
He called upon people to reject the alliance candidates put up by the saffron party.
Addressing an election meeting in Ward 10, Vijai admitted 60 members of the BJP into GFP. These BJP workers were led by Pratik Naik, Suraj Shirodkar and Maria Rodrigues and Goenkar – Ek Paul Ekcharachem representatives, who also addressed the meeting.
Dismissing BJP leader Damodar alias Damu Naik’s charges against him, Vijai asked Damu whether he could not get good candidates and had to field a candidate against whom an FIR has been lodged for collecting bribes for a police officer.
“The BJP-sponsored candidate Vasudev Kundaikar has an FIR filed against him and he is likely to be charge sheeted and sent to prison shortly and then who will represent this ward in the municipality,” he questioned and called upon the people to vote judiciously.
Disclosing that his party had three aspirants in Ward 10, Vijai said they decided to field Vitorino Tavares after the ward was reserved for OBC and said despite his failure in the past, Vitorino would definitely win this time.
Recalling that every movement to save Goa began with Margao, he said, “The movement to throw out the corrupt and anti-Goan BJP government will also commence from the Margao Municipal Council elections where the arrangement between him and Digambar Kamat will pave way for all party alliance for the Assembly elections due next year.”
He dismissed the Congress candidates in Fatorda and alleged that they were sponsored by the BJP.
Both of them are distributing the same types of gifts to the voters, which proves their alliance, he said and promised to give good administration in the council if his panel is elected.
He alleged that the BJP that used to claim to be a party with a difference has turned into a different party now. It has also started promoting dynastic rule as seen in Panjim where the MLA’s son has become a mayor of the corporation even though he was a rape accused.
He appealed to the voters not to fall prey to the job promises by the BJP workers and questioned why the jobs were not given earlier and are being offered now that the elections are at the doorstep.
BJP has made Goa the fourth state with highest unemployment, he charged.
GFP spokesperson Prashant Naik said in the last municipal elections, Vijai created history by getting his candidates elected in all 11 wards of Fatorda constituency and expressed confidence that history would repeat this year too.
Former councillor Glenn Andrade stressed the need to retain the heritage outlook of the ward and asked Vitorino to keep an eagle’s eye on Monte Hill where he claimed that some developers are trying to destroy the trees and fill up the low-lying areas.
Vikas Bhagat of Goenkar – Ek Paul Ekcharachem said they are looking at Vijai to take the initiative in forging an alliance of all Opposition groups for the 2022 Assembly elections with the sole aim of keeping the BJP out.
Candidate Vitorino thanked the gathering and his tiatrist colleagues for presenting a musical programme.
