The Greenfield airport at Mopa, is another contentious issue the BJP and its alliance partners – MGP, GFP and independents — have to come on a common platform.

While there was not much of a rebellion from others it was Fatorda legislator and now the TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai who was highly critical even terming the mega project as a scam.

In 2014, Sardesai had said that the airport has been conceptualised without access and thus smacked of a scam.

”The government, either for political reasons or to save certain highly-placed land owners allowed Sec IV of the Land Acquisition Act for the re-aligned access to the airport to be lapsed, as the new land acquisition law rendered the cost of the acquisition quite prohibitive,” he had said.

The BJP has hit back at Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai for his criticism of the proposed airport at Mopa, with BJP State spokesperson Dr Pramod Sawant stating that the independent MLA is opposing the airport due to “a personal interest.”

Dr Sawant came down heavily on Sardesai for opposing the Mopa airport and for forming a group to oppose the project.

“Most people in North Goa are supporting the Mopa airport and it will lead to development not only in North Goa but also South Goa,” said Dr Sawant.

“In the Assembly, Sardesai had supported the plan and now, he has suddenly come up with the issue. He is probably acting on instructions from someone else,” alleged Dr Sawant.

Come 2017, Sardesai is now alliance partner in BJP led government and has so far refused to make any comment on the contentious issue.

When questions were posed to Sardesai on the issues and common minimum prrogamme. Sardesai had said, “past is past, let us look at the future..”