MAPUSA
Former Maharashtra chief minister and Goa election in-charge, Devendra Fadnavis exhorted the voters of the coastal belt to bring about a “parivartan” in Calangute and teach the former MLA a befitting lesson.
Fadnavis, on Monday, also said that Mopa airport will treble the tourist footfall in the State bringing a windfall for the hoteliers and taxi-owners in the coastal constituency.
“Illegal drugs and crime has increased in Calangute. We need to protect this coastal village for the future generation. You have to vote keeping in mind the welfare of the next generation. Time has come to bring a change in Calangute and to teach the former MLA a lesson,” Fadnavis said, making an emotional appeal to the voters.
The Goa election in-charge was addressing a gathering at a function to open the election office of BJP candidate and former sarpanch Joseph Sequeira in Calangute in the presence of Karnataka minister, Prabhu Chauhan and other leaders.
Speaking further, Fadnavis said instead of becoming people’s servant, former MLA Michael Lobo has foisted himself as the master of the people.
“This election will change the face of Calangute. It will decide the future of Goa. This time voters will not only elect an MLA but vote for a secure future. Calangute needs parivartan,” he said.
Harping on the double engine government, the former Maharashtra CM informed that Goa has witnessed development of world class infrastructure either by way of bridges or highway expansion only because of help from centre.
“Goa’s Mopa airport will change the face of Goa. A lot of airlines are asking for slots to land in Goa but Dabolim airport cannot allot any new slots and therefore we need the new Mopa airport. Once the new airport comes up the tourist footfall will increase two to three times the present number,” he said.
He further said that hotels and taxi-owners and all other tourism stakeholders will stand to benefit from the influx of the tourists.
Former Calangute sarpanch and BJP candidate, Joseph Sequeira said people got the former MLA Michael Lobo elected hoping that he would do something good but he did just the opposite.
“The first thing he did was to include Calangute into the PDA against the wishes of the people. Then he tried to give Calangute the urban status. He also promised to regularize all the houses along the coast but not a single house has been regularized till today,” Sequeira said.
He said he entered into the BJP only to stop the former MLA from destroying Calangute further.
Karnataka minister, Prabhu Chauhan, former tourism minister, Dilip Parulekar and BJP leader Guru Shirodkar also spoke.
