the goan I network
MAPUSA
While kicking off Congress’ unique cycle yatra as election campaign from Mapusa, former chief minister and Margao MLA Digambar Kamat on Sunday said with prices of petrol and diesel hitting the roof time had come for people to use cycles as mode of conveyance.
“Petrol and diesel in fact everything is become costly. With this cycle yatra we are giving a signal that time is come to roam on cycles and this is a situation created by the BJP-led government. I am sure people of Goa will give a good response to our cycle rally,” said Kamat, who is the Congress campaign manager for the Lok Sabha elections.
Opposition leader Babu Kavlekar and Congress MLA Digambar Kamat flagged off the cycle yatra from Gandhi Chowk in Mapusa on Sunday morning.
GPCC President Girish Chodankar, Tivim MLA Nilkant Halarnkar, Former union minister for law Ramakant Khalap and several Congress leaders participated in the cycle yatra which wound its way through the streets of the city.
Opposition leader Babu Kavlekar said that the intention to use cycles for campaigning was because cycle could reach even to remotest corner of the villages. “We will go in the villages and meet people, enquire with them about their requirements and solicit their views,” Kavlekar said.
He said in spite of BJP ruling in the State and at the Centre, the cycle yatra has evinced good interest among the people of the State. “People have decided that the state and central governments are only making empty promises and no serious action is forthcoming to resolve issues. That is why voters have made up their minds to back Congress in this election. The mood indicates that in both the parliamentary and the by-elections Congress will emerge victorious,” he said.
GPCC President Girish Chodankar informed that the ‘cycle yatra chalo gaun ki aur’ was a unique mass contact programme.
“We did a padyatra in the past but never used cycle for campaigning. Cycle is an aam aadmi’s symbol. We are launching the yatra in North Goa from Mapusa and will cover all 20 constituencies in North Goa,” Chodankar said.
He said the main aim was to maintain contact with people in villages and also start
the Lok Sabha campaign in this yatra.
