Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Luizinho Faleiro on Thursday alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party is intimidating and threatening Congressmen by misusing state machinery and police in order to recruit them.
Speaking on the backdrop of the entry of Cumbarjua MLA Pandurang Madkaikar into the BJP, Faleiro stated, “The BJP is intimidating, threatening and extorting in order to force leaders onto their side. This is not correct. In a democracy, leaders and political personalities are free to join any party.”
Congress registered a verbal protest against what it labeled as the ‘politics of blackmail’.
“If I have power, I call the DGP, advocates, file cases against people and then I tell those people that join my party. Congressmen are getting threats and intimidation. The BJP is misusing the government and police machinery. This doesn’t suit Goa’s ethos and culture,” Faleiro stated.
Madkaikar was the third prominent Congress leader, after former Dabolim MLA Mauvin Godinho and Pernem strongman Manohar ‘Babu’ Ajgaonkar quit the party over the last few days.
