MARGAO
Many an eyebrow was raised in political circles after Congress Aldona MLA Carlos Alvares was seen taking a walk along with Goa Forward chief Vijai Sardesai and Durgadas Kamat on the “People’s Path” project under construction at the Old Market Circle, Fatorda.
The presence of the trio assumed significance and comes against the backdrop of the fact that relations between the Goa Forward Party and the Congress hit rock bottom after the regional party stitched an alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party a fortnight ago.
Attired in the Congress’ Goy Rakhon Yatra T-shirt, the Aldona MLA, who hails from Old Market, however, sought to clear the air by saying that he just walked down the pathway to find out what work was going on in the area. “I was just passing by when I came across work on a hump at the pedestrian crossing. I just inspected the work, believed to be a work of art. It’s a good work which brings out our heritage and culture,” he said.
He added: “Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai had executed the Opinion Poll Square project a couple of years ago. I do not know whether the Old Market project is an extension of the project executed along the Court building-Ravindra Bhavan road. If it is the same project, it will be good to showcase and remember all our Opinion Poll leaders who had fought to keep Goa separate and retain its identity.”
Asked to comment on the late-night presence of Congress MLA Carlos Alvares with him on the Coconut Avenue stretch, the Goa Forward chief said he was inspecting the work late at night when the Aldona MLA stopped and tried to find out the nature of the project. “These days I am literally on the roads to get the work completed so that it is inaugurated on Dusshera Day. Alvares is a son of Old Market and has underscored the need to protect the heritage of the Old Market area,” Sardesai added.
The Goa Forward chief is racing against time to complete the Coconut Avenue, also known as the People’s Path, to inaugurate the same on Dusshera Day.
