MARGAO
Over a week after he quit the party to embrace the Trinamool Congress, Congress leaders descended in Curtorim on Wednesday, to make a fervent plea to Curtorkars not just to see ex-MLA Reginaldo Lorenco is defeated, but ensure the former three-time MLA forfeits his deposit in the ensuing polls.
Congress Goa desk in-charge, Dinesh Gundu Rao went hammer and thongs against Reginaldo, calling him a traitor and a blackmailer, having left the Congress at the eleventh hour with malafide intentions.
“Every time, the ex-MLA used to meet me, he used to complain of lack of money to fight the polls. He was literally trying to blackmail me to arrange money or else would accept the offers from other parties. He used to indulge in blackmail politics for his selfish interests. I am confident the people of Curtorim will teach him a lesson by not just defeating him in the election, but ensure he looses his deposit”, Rao said.
Challenging ex-MLA Reginaldo Lourenco to cite a single issue which he had raised and taken to the logical conclusion, GPCC Chief Girish Chodankar on Wednesday alleged that ex-Curtorim MLA had been working in league with the BJP over the years while giving an impression outside that he was fighting against the BJP-led governments.
He said the outgoing Congress MLA will not be able to buy the people of Curtorim, exuding confidence that self-respecting Curtorkars will teach Reginaldo a lesson in the husting.
“I challenge Reginaldo to cite a single issue raised by him that he managed to take it to the logical conclusion. He dished out an image that he is a pan Goa leader by making his presence felt across the state, but neglected Curtorim”, he said, pointing out that Reginaldo was never part of the Congress party’s agitation over the years.
He added” “Though we knew he was hobnobbing with the BJP, we tried to protect him all along since he was the Congress MLA. He was close to late Manohar Parrikar as well as incumbent CM Pramod Sawant. He had even reached the Assembly late when he was the Congress candidate for the post of Speaker
The GPCC Chief cautioned the people of Curtorim to beware of the BJP game plan of getting outside parties into Goa to split the Congress vote.
Opposition leader Digambar Kamat said that Curtorim has been the Congress party’s bastion, exuding confidence that people will teach the ex-MLA a lesson.
South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha said the people of Curtorim will stand by the Congress to elect the party candidate, promising the people that he would take up development in the constituency through the MPLAD scheme.
Congress leader Mickky Pacheco said that the new parties that are trying to set up shop in the state are coming with a one point agenda to divide the Congress vote.
South Goa district president Joe Dias, Congress leaders from Curtorim Joseph Vaz, Basil Fernandes, besides block president Milagres Fernandes addressed the meeting. Curtorim Congress ZP member Michele Rebello, wife of Cong-turned-BJP leader Moreno was also seated on the dais.
