Team Herald
PANJIM: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has ruled out alliance for the 2022 Goa Assembly polls, while expressing confidence that BJP will win an absolute majority.
Addressing a huge gathering of party karyakartas on Thursday, Shah appealed to them to reach out to the people to create awareness that the ‘double engine’ government will continue the development of Goa.
“For the third time, the double engine government will be formed in Goa. We want to make a government with full majority. Absolute majority means stability, right to rule, corruption free government and to implement the policy of ‘antyodaya.’ I am confident and at the same time appeal to you (karyakartas) to ensure BJP retains power this time with an absolute majority,” he said to a packed community hall at Taleigao.
In his 42-minute speech, Shah insited that BJP has had close relations with
Goa right from its freedom struggle. “Jan Sangh karyakartas from the entire country played a key role in the liberation of Goa. They have also worked and sacrificed for Goa’s liberation. We have a deep and strong bond with Goa and its journey,” he said, amidst huge applause from the attendees.
The Union Minister, who assured to return to Goa after the polls as well, said the State witnessed instability until the BJP government was formed. Although formed much later, the party, Shah said, is here to stay longer and provide stability and development in Goa.
“Last several elections in Goa has been won by BJP. In 2019 by-elections, BJP won 3 out of 4 seats and 33 out of 50 seats in the Zilla Panchayat polls in 2020. In 2021 municipal elections, BJP won 9 out of 11 seats. Its time to win the finals with full majority,” he said, reiterating that a majority BJP government will double the pace of development.
“I promise to make Goa a model State. It is a model State but we will double the pace of development. A lot of infrastructural works will be completed next year,” Shah added, while reeling out a list of developmental works and welfare schemes implemented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the last few years.
He also emphasized BJP’s efforts in reaching out to the villagers of Goa through the appointment of an officer in each village to ensure no individual is deprived of benefits of the schemes. “CM Pramod Sawant himself reviews the plans of the village monthly,” Shah said.
He claimed that a comparison of 60 years of Congress’ rule and 10 years of BJP rule at the Centre will see the latter under PM Modi having an upper hand.
Shah also took a dig at the opposition Congress party, which has seen a number of dissidents switching over to Trinamool Congress Party and Aam Aadmi Party. He claimed that the party is directionless not in Goa alone but in the entire country. “This party is gradually vanishing from the country,” he said.
BJP Goa election in-charge Devendra Fadnavis, who has been camping in Goa since Wednesday, also took a pot shot at the opposition parties citing their emergence in Goa during elections to be like “growth of mushrooms in monsoons.”
About AAP’s election promise, Fadnavis criticized its failed governance in Delhi. “When you are unable to handle responsibility of the country’s capital, what improvement is it talking about in Goa?” he said.
BJP Goa Desk Incharge C T Ravi said that the Modi government has disbursed Rs 21,000 crore to Goa for development which no other government has done.
The central leaders hailed Goa government’s efforts to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic while making the State first in the country in completing administering the first dose of the vaccine to 100 per cent of the population.
About the tourism sector in Goa, he said the resumption of international air travel will bring a major boost to the industry that largely depends on charter flights. He said the commissioning of Mopa airport will add to the total arrivals in the State.
‘Parrikar left significant mark in Delhi’
Union Home Minister Amit Shah touched an emotional chord with Goa making repeated mention of defence reforms carried out by late Manohar Parrikar.
Shah recalled that as party national president, Parrikar, who was then Goa’s CM was asked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take over as the country’s defence minister. Parrikar, Shah said, didn’t want to leave Goa but moved to Delhi for the sake of BJP. “…and he left a significant mark,” the union minister said.
The armed forces that were appealing for One Rank One Pension for years saw it implemented during Parrikar’s tenure. “It has motivated our armed forces a lot. The surgical strike in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir was also
carried out under his tenure. When other parties were merely talking about not tolerating terrorism, our government ensured we strike back at our enemies,” he said.
Parrikar had carried out defence reforms and streamlined the process of defence procurements. By simplifying system, the then defence minister pushed “Make in India”. Parrikar had ensured his tenure was corruption-free.
