the goan I network
PANAJI
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Girish Chodankar on Sunday made a serious charge against the BJP of poaching Congress MLAs as a ‘national agenda’ in some States including Goa by offering huge amounts of money and lucrative posts.
Chodankar said, the BJP has prepared combo packages to lure Congress MLAs.
“In this situation, I cannot say with confidence that Congress MLAs will not leave the party. I only hope that MLAs will not get tempted,” Chodankar said at a press conference at party headquarters.
Asked to elaborate on his ‘combo packages’ allegation, Chodankar elaborated on the offers being made by BJP leaders to poach MLAs saying: “There are three types of packages which are being offered depending on the category of the MLA. One package is of Rs 40 crores to the MLA and 5 crores to placate his workers. Additionally, expenditure needed for re-election and chairmanship of a corporation, not cabinet berth, post re-election.”
Chodankar said, the second package offers ministerial post plus Rs 20 crores and an additional 5 crores for placating workers. In this package, he said, cost of by-elections will be taken care of.
The third package is like a “Voluntary Retirement Scheme” which offers just Rs 60 crores to vacate the post of MLA and retire from politics, he said.
Stating that BJP has already taken away 3 Congress and 2 MGP MLAs by offering them packages, he cannot confidently say the no
more Congress MLAs will
shift allegiance.
“This is not the problem of just the Congress or Goa Forward. There is a big problem that we have to accept and it should be a matter of concern to all NGOs, intellectuals and organisations working to save democracy in the country.
“Development of a constituency should not take place at the cost of democracy. Central government is trying to destroy the opposition parties,” Chodankar said.”
In the recent by-elections, we have seen that defector MLAs have been re-elected. This is dangerous for democracy, he added.
When asked who informed him about the ‘package’ offers being made to MLAs, Chodankar claimed he has recordings of BJP leaders in conversation with Congress MLAs and that he would use the evidence at an appropriate time.
He also named Congress MLA of Cuncolim Clafacio Dias stating that the MLA held a meeting with his workers to discuss the offer after which they decided to stay with Congress.
