the goan I network
MARGAO
The Aam Aadmi Party has hit back at South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha for calling the it the B team of the BJP, with party State Convenor Elvis Gomes advising the MP to retire and take rest, saying the accusations against AAP only served to remind the younger generation of Goans that he (Sardinha) holds the honour of bringing the first BJP government into power by overthrowing his own Congress government only because of his lust for the CM’s chair.
AAP also launched a frontal attack on the Congress MP, accusing him of intimidating the party’s Guirdolim candidate Rodolfina Vaz to withdraw from the fray.
Addressing the media flanked by the party’s youth candidates for ZP elections, Gomes said that Sardinha was not generally visible as MP during people’s agitations on Mhadei, Coal pollution, CZMPs and nationalisation of rivers but suddenly wakes up dreaming only about AAP during elections instead of fighting both inside and outside parliament for issues pertaining to Goa.
Pointing towards the party’s youth candidates Aishwarya Fernandes and Hanzel Fernandes who were present, Gomes asked whether they appeared to be the B team of the BJP.
“Sardinha has put in about 45 years as MLA and MP. Our candidates were not even born when Sardinha first broke the back of Congress and brought BJP to power. By levelling false accusations against AAP, he is seeking to discourage the youth who have come forward to challenge him,” Gomes said, adding the MP should do his homework well and tell the people why he had left the Congress and allowed BJP to form the government.
“The MP should find out why his Congress MLAs left and joined the BJP in Goa, Karnataka and now Madhya Pradesh. He should also tell people why they require MGP for support,” Gomes said.
Citing the example of Sancoale ZP seat which Congress handed over to the BJP by not fielding any candidate, Gomes said AAP had chosen to stay away from the constituency bowing to request from prominent citizens of Sancoale not to field our candidate so as to make it a straight contest.
Meanwhile, AAP’s Guirdolim candidate tore into Sardinha for intimidating her through a telephone call, adding “he as an MP should keep his respect and not intimidate those aspiring to come forward to challenge traditional politics”.
Meanwhile, Benaulim candidate Hanzel Fernandes also spoke about calls being received by supporters to withdraw from his campaign. He said that AAP was challenging a corrupt system and called upon people to vote for AAP.
Colva candidate Aishwarya Fernandes said that traditional politicians want only their families to come forward into politics. She said that AAP gave opportunities to women to be in the forefront and appealed to the youth and women, in particular, to join and support AAP.
