MARGAO
With the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national leadership distancing itself from the INDIA bloc, AAP Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas on Friday clarified that the party's Goa unit has not received any instructions to sever ties with the Congress or other opposition parties in the State.
Viegas, however, emphasised the need for unity among non-BJP forces to effectively challenge the ruling BJP in Goa.
“It appears from the statement made by AAP national leader Sanjay Singh that AAP has pulled out of the INDIA bloc since the alliance was basically formed for the 2024 Lok Sabha election. As far as the AAP Goa leadership is concerned, we have received no instructions from the party leadership. The Goa Assembly session will start soon and the legislative wing of the party is working with other parties to corner the BJP. Let us see how things unfold in the state post Assembly session,” he said.
The Benaulim MLA stressed that the people of Goa want to see a cohesive opposition that can dislodge what he described as a corrupt and communal BJP government. “The BJP government can be defeated only if the 70 per cent non-BJP vote remains united. If there is a divide in the opposition vote, the BJP will benefit and come back to power,” he added.
Meanwhile, Viegas announced his plan to introduce two private member bills during the upcoming Assembly session, aimed at safeguarding Goa’s fragile environment and agricultural legacy.
The proposed bills — the Coastal Creek Protection Bill and the Agricultural Land Protection Bill — seek to address long-standing concerns about degradation of natural resources.
“Goa’s creeks are suffocating, and its farmlands are slipping away, yet some local politicians have the gall to claim credit for work they never touched. These bills are AAP’s promise to fight for our environment and farmers with real solutions, not recycled promises. I appeal to all the MLAs to support these bills and back this vision for a sustainable Goa,” he said.
