Alliance leaders say door-to-door outreach energising voters, vow to prevent division of non-BJP votes
Goa Forward Party’s Poinguinim ZP candidate Prashant Naik, former minister Isidore Fernandes, Congress leaders and others after addressing a press conference.
CANACONA
Showcasing the unity within Congress-GFP alliance, Goa Forward Party’s Poinguinim ZP candidate Prashant Naik, former minister Isidore Fernandes and local Congress leaders said they are actively and jointly campaigning for the alliance candidate at the Poinguinim ZP polls.
Addressing a news conference at the GFP office in Chaudi-Canacona on Thursday, they said GFP along with local Congress leaders have completed their door–to-door campaign in Loliem-Polem, while covering nearly half of homes in Poinguinim, Gaondongrim and in Khotigao.
“It is a boost for us, now that Congress leaders like Janardhan Bhandari and Madhav Desai will be joining our campaigning team. In fact, they were working with us since the nominations were filed, soon after the alliance was announced. Canacona BJP MLA’s revenge politics will boomerang now first in the ZP polls and its repercussion will be felt in the next assembly elections,” said Isidore.
Janardhan Bhandari said they have been reaching to the people with a one-point agenda, to defeat BJP.
“What we have witnessed during our campaign trail is that anger against the BJP is rising and voters tell us not to worry but to move forward with Prashant,” said Bhandari.
Madhav Dessai, who had contested the last assembly elections on the TMC ticket, after fallout with the Congress for denying him the ticket, before returning to the Congress, said the situation is right to usher in a change at the Poinguinim ZP election. Prashant Naik said they have been reaching out to all, including a few disgruntled Congressmen who have rebelled and fielded a candidate for the ZP seat.
“We hope to win their confidence and seek their support for the alliance candidate, instead of contesting and dividing the non-BJP votes,” he said.
When asked to comment on the absence of Congress Block President, South Goa District General Secretary (organising) and Congress Mahila president for their campaign, GFP leader Vikas Bhagat replied: “When Jana (Bhandari) is with us, it implies that all Congress leaders are also with us.”
“Congress Block President Abel Borges and District (South) Congress Organising Secretary Garpar Coutinho are both campaigning and involved in the Khola ZP election. The Mahila Congress president had to attend to a medical emergency in her family and had to leave for Margao today.”
CMC councillor and GFP leader Shubam Komarpant, GFP Environment Cell Chairman Vikas Bhagat also addressed the news conference.
