the goan I network
MARGAO
Goa Forward Party Chief Vijai Sardesai on Sunday virtually kicked off his campaign for the Margao civic polls scheduled next year, with the Fatorda MLA issuing a fiat to his ruling city fathers hailing from Fatorda to go back to the wards and find out from the people whether any promises handed out in 2015 are still not being fulfilled by the elected representatives till date.
Reminding that he is no more part of the ruling dispensation and conceding that government-funded projects may not come easily in Fatorda, the MLA, however, reassured the people that he would usher in the development of the wards with his own money through We for Fatorda.
“When I was in power, I used to feed the councillors and the council with projects. Today, the situation has changed. There may be people on the prowl to take away even what you have,” he said, as he laid the foundation stone for the Rs one crore astroturf project at Fatorda, totally funded by We for Fatorda.
“I want to make it clear to the city fathers from Fatorda that the time has come to take account of the works done in their respective wards and how many works are still pending. We can revive the Sunday Dialogue to get feedback from the people. Councillors may go to the wards during late evenings and interact with the people,” he said, making it clear that city fathers who have not performed during the last four years may have to go home.
Reminding that the Goa Forward had swept the MMC polls in 2015 by winning all the 11 seats at stake despite the fact that union ministers had camped in the constituency, Sardesai sent clear indications that the party will go all out to retain its seats in the civic body in next year’s polls.
Saying that government-sponsored development works may not come in easily in Fatorda as he is presently not in the Cabinet, Sardesai, however, told the people to brace for any movement to get what is due to them from the government.
“I had to call up the power officials several times since yesterday to fix the illumination problem at Monte Hill Chapel. We have to brace up for a movement or else a day will come when Goans will leave their homeland to migrate abroad,” he warned.
He informed that he would attend a meeting convened by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on October 16 to take a call on the execution of the Fatorda Margao bus terminus. “The existing Margao KTC bus stand is worse than a cowshed. During my tenure, we had decided to execute the bus stand project under public-private partnership model since the government was hard-pressed to arrange funds for the project to the tune of Rs 350 crore,” he said while hoping that the government will take a call on the bus stand project at the earliest.
