MARGAO
Fatorda constituency, the home turf of Goa Forward chief Vijai Sardesai, is back in the spotlight, this time for another reason.
The Goa Forward chief on Tuesday morning virtually announced that he was snapping ties with the Aam Aadmi Party after opting for a grand alliance of opposition parties, including the Congress.
Wednesday, however, will see the Congress’ Goy Rakhonn Yatra enter Fatorda as part of its ongoing campaign to mobilise people across the State against the BJP government.
Downplaying the Congress’ scheduled yatra in his fiefdom, Sardesai said the ongoing Goy Rakhonn Yatra was a Congress party programme being organised across the State and not just in Fatorda.
Political observers, however, say this is perhaps the first time that the Congress has not excluded Fatorda from its organisational programmes. In the past, the party had carefully avoided holding any major programme in Fatorda, largely to avoid antagonising Sardesai, who has been its alliance partner since 2022.
Outgoing Fatorda Block Congress convenor Yogesh Nagvenkar said the party was mobilising people to welcome and participate in the yatra.
Sources said the yatra is expected to begin near the District Collectorate building before proceeding to the Nehru Stadium and Ravindra Bhavan, and culminating at the Mand near the SGPDA grounds.
Sources said this would perhaps be the first time in the last five years that the Congress is holding a major programme in Fatorda, the constituency represented by its alliance partner.
The Congress yatra in Fatorda assumes added significance against the backdrop of strained relations between the Congress and Goa Forward. The regional party had suspended alliance talks with the Congress before joining hands with the Aam Aadmi Party to float the Goa First alliance on September 13.
